Doomsday
by SL the Pyro
Summary: The entire Super Smash Brothers organization is hunted by forces beyond their imagination and comprehension, while the real enemy prepares to end the world. It will be a war against all odds to prevent the end of everything. Sequel to Snapped.
1. Prologue: Resurrection

**A/N:** I have returned, my fellow readers. If you read the summary, you'll already know that this story is the second arc of _Snapped_ I promoted before. But why not give you an actual title to this section of the story or more description about it than I did, you ask? All I ever said is that it would be the second arc and that the genre would be much different.

Well, part of the reason for all of that mystery is that, obviously, it would have spoiled a number of things that I left open in the first arc. Secondly, I didn't entirely know what direction I would take _Doomsday_ in. I wanted to make sure I did this story right. I want to make this story as realistic as possible, or as much as it can be with the presence of magic and mythology and Gods, while at the same time adhering to the plot devices used by the various games that are wrapped up in this fiction; that's a lot of stories considering that this is _Super Smash Brothers_. Good _SSB_ fiction is very hard to write because of this, so I have to pull out all the stops. I don't want a repeat of the catastrophic failure of _Of Chimeras and Ghosts_, where a single misconceived plot point meant the doom of the whole story.

Now, motives aside, there are a few things I'd like to explain:

-Firstly, like its predecessor, _Doomsday_ will be in first person perspective. Though for obvious reasons – or at least, they're obvious if you read _Snapped_ – Lucas won't be the only one this story focuses on. Take a wild guess at who the other character will be.

-Secondly, unlike the first story, the majority of the plot will _not_ focus on Lucas' growing madness. Much of it will be based on many philosophies of life and religious values; I will make clear with you right now that **these may or may not reflect my own beliefs** and are only used for the sake of the story, I do not mean to offend any agnostics or atheists or anyone else who holds differing opinions of deities than I do.

-This is more of a preference issue than anything: I need to stress that I will try to only use using game franchises in _Super Smash Brothers_, and only I will be allowed to choose which ones I use. Other ones like _Summon Night: Swordcraft Story_ and _Boktai_ are only reference when I feel like it, they will _not_ be used in the story unless there is a good reason _and_ they already tie in with another franchise currently in _SSB_ (like _Boktai_ was to _Metal Gear Solid_). There's just going to be _one_ exception that I must do for the sake of story progression, and that's all. Why am I telling you this? Because given the scale of the story, it's likely to be one of those "world-hopping" adventures like you see so often on FFnet, and I've seen many review boxes of such stories filled with "OMG PLZ USE THIS WORLD IN UR STORIE" comments. I will warn you right now: **do not pull this stunt with me**. I will ignore and, if possible, delete any such messages and reviews I receive, and I will not reply to them. I won't hesitate to block repeated offenders either. Just telling you now.

-Lastly, a suggestion to all of you people reading this story for the first time: if you have not yet read _Snapped_, I strongly advise you to go and do so now before you start reading this one. _Doomsday_ is a direct sequel, and thus I won't go out of my way to explain vital plot points or character descriptions of anything of the sort here since it's already there. This story is written assuming you already know everything you could from reading _Snapped_ first. Bare this in mind.

...Alright, I think I've covered everything I was supposed to. Sorry for the whole MSWord-page worth of notes. Now, without further ado...

* * *

**Doomsday**

_Prologue: Resurrection_

0000000000

Where... am I...?

I'm laying on something hard... I slowly move to get up. I feel weightless... like I'm suddenly floating. In fact I think I _am_ floating, because I don't feel the ground anymore... I open my eyes to look, and I'm staring at a sea of lights flowing underneath me... red lights, almost like blood... I look forward to see where those lights are coming from; from behind a person, expanding almost infinitely like a tunnel...

But when I notice that person, my notice is totally on him, no longer on the red lights. That orange-and-yellow striped shirt, and those blue denim shorts... blonde hair, matted down to cover his face, but that doesn't stop me from recognizing him...

"Lucas..."

Why... why are you being made to feel so much pain? You opened yourself up to me, let me share your pain to try and help you through it... but even then...

"I'm sorry..."

It's like I haven't done anything at all...

I "walk" towards him, touching my hand to his cheek and lifting it up so I can see his face... then, his face splits into a grin...

Not a happy grin... a mad, twisted grin.

His head jerks up to look at me, and he changes in that instant. The sweet, innocent face I was hoping to see was replaced with the vampire-like monster I had become used to seeing him as. But this isn't the same... this time, his blazing red eyes fill me with terror...

Then, as he begins laughing a shrill scream, suddenly I am whisked backwards at such a high speed, trying in vain to reach out to him...

0000000000

"_Lucas_!" The shout of his name tears through my throat as the world around me changes, and I'm suddenly introduced to so much pain. My hand flies to my chest, grasping where my ribs are... why do they hurt so much? And this place... this isn't the cave where I was moments ago, this is... my bedroom... my bedroom back home, at Castle Caelin, sitting up in my bed... what on earth... what on earth has happened? Why am I back here? Where is Lord Eliwood and Ninian? And Shadow? And... Lucas...?

The memories come back to me in a flash. General Murdock kneeling on the ground beside me, defeated, but not without nearly crushing my rib cage. Eliwood and Ninian suspended in the air of the cave by heavy chains, Shadow threatening to kill them if I didn't... I panic and feel for the wound, but where there should be a hole through my heart, there is nothing... I look down at it to see that my skin is perfectly intact. Well, perhaps not _perfectly_, as just below it where my ribs are hurting, there are bandages tied around me. The upper part of my dress is gone, probably so the bandages could be applied, leaving me with my white bra. But then... what happened to the wound...?

A more pressing thought crosses my mind then: if I'm alright, then what became of the others? Where are Eliwood, Ninian, Princia and Lucas? Especially Lucas? Surely I hadn't dreamed that entire confrontation with that demon up! I'm certain that I'd impaled my own heart with the Mani Katti, so where is it? Where is my sword, and where is the wound it made? And... if Lucas saw it happen... what became of him...?

_"He he he… I wonder what would happen to him if your life was cut short before his very eyes?"_

It's as if my heart stops beating. No... that can't be... if he saw me stab myself... in that state of mind...

_"_No_!_ _Lyn, what are you doing!_ Don't do it_!_ _You…_ YOU TOLD ME NO ONE WAS GOING TO DIE_!"_

I gasp shakily, shaking my head and holding it... no... it can't be true...! Please, someone, _anyone_ tell me I'm just imaging things...!

I hear steady, loudening thumps outside of my door; someone is coming. Thank goodness, a distraction to help me get my head together! Not being entirely decent right now I grab my blanket and pull it over my chest, milliseconds before my door is flung open. In the doorway is a Caelin guard in full armor and uniform, spear in hand. There's another one behind him, trying to look around the first to see into the room. "Lady Lyndis, we heard you scream. Is everything alright?" the first guards asks me.

Heard me scream…? Oh, when I'd called out Lucas' name. "Oh, I'm fine… thank you. It was only a bad dream." I reply. It's not a total lie, at least, though part of me wishes that everything that had transpired before was just a dream…

"Lady Lyndis!" calls another, more familiar voice from the hallway outside. Lord Eliwood and Ninian are rushing up to meet me as well… they're _here_! But the Caelin guards bar their path.

"Let them through…" I order them simply. Immediately they lower their weapons and grant Pherae's Marquess and his wife passage into my quarters. Both of them are clothing of Caelin-origin, Eliwood in a set of armor and Ninian in a princess' dress. They hadn't had much clothing on when I last saw them in that cave, so my people must have remedied this. I can clearly see that worry is etched in their faces.

"Lady Lyndis…" Eliwood greets me, bowing down to me so he's not standing over me. "Praise the Gods that you're alright…" Similar thoughts were running through my own mind as well; Eliwood and Ninian were truly a sight for sore eyes. I try to bend over and touch his shoulder in comfort, by my aching ribs protest this action; I vainly try to hide the pain.

Both of them look at me hopelessly. "Try not to move, Lady Lyndis. You've suffered a terrible injury to your ribs." Ninian tells me.

"So I've noticed…" I groan in response. Yes, it's painful, but I've suffered worse; I'll live.

"You're lucky that's the only injury you've sustained!" Eliwood says to me, suddenly scolding me. "What were you thinking, impaling yourself in the heart! Don't ever worry us like that again!"

This anger from him is something I am not pleased to see. "Well, what would _you_ have done in my position!" I fire back at him. He grimaces, but he doesn't say anything more. That's what I thought. "Do you know what it's like… having to choose which of your closest friends gets to live or die…?" Then I remember, the pain of that horrible, horrible moment all too vividly. Eliwood and Ninian suspended above a black pit, that… that _monster_ hovering behind them threatening to end both of their lives if I don't choose between them… and then gives me the option to spare them both if I take _my _own life… I can feel my eyes watering up. Damn it, I don't want to cry…

Eliwood takes it upon himself to calm me down, getting back up and hugging my head to his armored chest. The cold steel is little comfort, but at least it reassures me that they're both alive and well… "I'm sorry, Lyndis…" he says to me.

It takes all of my willpower to force the real tears back. I can't cry now… there are things that I need to know. After a moment I wiggle my head out of his grip and get to the matter at hand. "Tell me what happened. How are you here? How long was I asleep for?" I ask desperately.

"You've… you've been asleep for three days, Lady Lyndis." Ninian informs me. _Three days_! "But truthfully, neither Eliwood nor I know much other than that. The last thing we remember in that cave was a woman appearing from nowhere, reversing the damage you'd done to yourself… at least that's what it looked like."

My interest is immediately captured. "A woman…?" I repeat. Ninian nods. So the reason I'm not dead right now… is because of that woman? I must know more about her. "Do you know who she was? What she looked like?"

"I don't know who she was…" Ninian admitted. "She was dressed in a white robe adorned with all sorts of gold, and she had green hair like yours… and her whole body was shining with a golden light. I could tell that she was very powerful…" Green hair and shining with a golden light…? That description only fit one person I knew of: Palutena, the Goddess of Angel Land and a dear friend of Pit. But… is it even possible? She's a Goddess, wouldn't coming to my aid in such a way have violated the oath that Shadow told us about? "…And that was that last thing we saw. The next thing we knew, we were back here at Castle Caelin, waiting for you to wake up ever since three days ago."

It doesn't add up. Eliwood and Ninian appearing out of nowhere at Shadow's will, my attempting to kill myself, and then… suddenly we're all back in our own world as if none of it happened? If Palutena was there, did she… send us all back here? It's as sound of a theory as I have right now. "I see…" I respond dully.

"Lyn, do you know that woman?" Eliwood asked me.

"Hm? Well…"

"_The prospect of anyone outside of their dominion knowing about their existence _terrifies_ them... now they'll literally do _anything_ to shut your organization up, as quickly as possible."_

Remembering Shadow's speech, it awakens a buried fear in my heart. The Smashers and I… we're all in grave danger if his words prove to be true. I need to be careful not to tell Eliwood and Ninian too much, lest they suffer the same burden. "I don't know her personally…" I confess. "But if she is who I believe her to be, then I think she's fully capable of bring me back from death. She probably sent us back here, too."

"Is she a God?" Eliwood asks.

My face pales. "Wh-what?"

"Is she a God, Lyndis?" he presses. I'm too surprised to answer. How… how did he come to that conclusion? "This 'Shadow' made sure we could hear the entire conversation you had. Don't hide anything from us, Lyndis. I don't want you digging yourself a deeper grave because you're trying to protect us. We know all too well how it ended the last time you pulled such a stunt."

So Shadow told them too… I fight the urge to curse aloud. Of course… this is probably his way of making sure he has no loose ends to tie up. He made it clear that he fully intends to just leave us to the Gods rather than dispose of us all himself. But I didn't think he'd include people who weren't in the organization! Eliwood is staring at me expectantly, where as Ninian is looking back and forth between us hopelessly. I decide to tell him the truth… it couldn't do any more harm, anyway. "Yes… I believe she is."

His expression softened, but he still looked concerned. "Then why would she help us after everything Shadow told us about them?" he inquired.

Unfortunately, this is a question I do not have an answer to. He admitted himself that he was closer to the Gods than any other being could possibly be, and claimed to know them so well. If all Gods were like this, then... why were we saved? "I wish I knew…" I tell him, shaking my head and gazing down at the floor. "I wish I knew a lot of things about this fine mess we've found ourselves in…"

"Then… is there anything else about this you know that we don't?" Eliwood asks.

I take the time to ponder that… but then I shake my head and answer, "No… Shadow covered everything that was worth noting. You know everything I do." He sighed, probably disappointed. But on the subject of what we did and didn't know, there was one question that has been nagging at me persistently that Eliwood and Ninian might have the answer to. "Eliwood, Ninian… do you know what became of Lucas?"

Eliwood blinked. "Do you mean the child that… turned into that monster?" I glare at him for describing him so; granted Lucas and Eliwood had never met each other before, in fact their first encounter was in that cave, but since he is my best friend I wish that he would speak about him more kindly. I see regret in his eyes… and he looks away ashamed. I immediately know that the news is not good. "When he… _changed_… and you stabbed yourself… he went completely berserk. Shadow took his leave, and Lucas chased right after him." he explains to me. "We didn't see him again after that… I'm sorry, Lyndis…"

I feel the weight of depression so suddenly, it threatens to push me back down onto the mattress. "No…" I mutter. The moment I stabbed myself… were mine and Lucas' worst fears realized? Did his mind… break down…? "_No_…!" I pound my fist into the mattress as anger and sorrow well up in me.

"Lyndis… who was Lucas to you?" Ninian asks me.

I struggle to fight back tears of frustration while I answer her. "He was… he was everything to me… my partner, my confidant, my… he was my best friend…" I tell them.

"Oh my… Lyndis, I'm so sorry…" Ninian apologizes.

"Wait, wait. Hold on a moment." Eliwood interrupts. "Why are we apologizing as if we've lost someone dear to us? We don't know that for sure yet. He could still be alive. He might've been sent away from that cave just like we were."

His words provide me with a ray of hope… he's right. We only know about what we saw when Lucas left to go after that blackheart. We don't know what his ultimate fate was. For all I know… he could still very well be sane, and _alive_. He could be somewhere in the multiverse, waiting for me to find him. "If that's true, then…" I mutter. "I have to find him."

"I'm afraid that is out of the question." says a new voice; another familiar one, and one that I have not heard in a long time indeed. I look to the doorway to see an aged man with short, white hair with a bald forehead. He is tall and wears green, royal robes.

"Grandfather…" I murmur. He is the Marquess of Caelin, and the last remaining blood relative that I have. I am ecstatic to see him at first… but then my mind registers his words. "Why can I not go?"

"Because, my granddaughter, you are injured." He replies solemnly as he enters the room and stands beside Eliwood. "Marquess Pherae here has informed me of your near-death experience… and to be fair, you should not even be able to sit up with four broken ribs."

"B-but… I'm fine! I've had much worse injuries than this!" I protest. In my outrage, I attempt to stand on my own two feet to prove my point. The pain is more excruciating than I expected, but nonetheless, I succeed… only to have Eliwood force me back down to the bed. I struggle against him, but because of the injury and his overall superior physical strength, it is a losing battle.

"But do you even know where to go?" my grandfather countered. His rebuttal gave me pause, and I stopped resisting. He was right. I _don't_ know where Lucas is now. And even though my first instinct is to go back to the place where tragedy struck us before, I don't have the information to enter into the Transportation System in this castle. There was… quite simply nothing I could do… "I understand your desire to find him, and your warrior's pride to not give up, my granddaughter…" he continued. "However you must think rationally. You won't find him if you have no proof or inkling of where to search. As desperate as the situation may or may not be, the best thing you can do now is focus on recovering."

I will not deny that I despise my grandfather very much right now, as well as my friends for nodding and sharing in his sentiments. But none of that changes the fact that he is absolutely correct. If I were to search for Lucas now, it really would be a wild goose chase, and would only worsen my condition. Begrudgingly, I lay back down on the bed and groan. Pain is tightening in my chest… it's as if my broken rips are reminding me of my failure with pain, filling me with despair as I know that it's nothing compared to what _he's_ gone through and _could be_ going through right now. "What do I do…?" I ask helplessly.

"Do _you_ believe in him, Lyndis?" Eliwood replies. "Do you believe that he'll come back to you unharmed?"

Believe in Lucas…? "…Of course I do." I reply without any hesitation. Even in the worst of times we've shared, I've always believed in him. That's what Lucas was to me, an incorruptible beacon of everything right and just in the world. Even when my heart was breaking when he asked me to make that promise…

"_Lyn, I-I... I don't think I'm ever going to fully recover from this... It's gotten so bad that my mind has literally split in two, like another person inside my head... and despite my best efforts, I'm losing out to it... I think... it's only a matter of time before I lose myself completely... Lyn... if that happens... I want you to stop me..."_

And I'd meant it when I agreed to it. To the very end, he thought only of the well-being of everyone around him, especially me. He thought so highly of me that I'm the only one he'd dare ask to carry out such a terrible task, and if his nightmares would come true, I would do as he wished. But by the same token, I hope that I don't have to. I made him promise to keep fighting this until the very end, until he couldn't any longer, as long as he had something to fight for. He's still out there somewhere, fighting against the darkness warping his body and mind… I'm sure of it.

"Then do not fret over it." my grandfather said. "Believe that you will see him again, and it will only be a matter of time before you do. But for now… please try to get some rest, my granddaughter."

"…Okay."

At his request, everyone follows him out of the room and the guards close the door behind them. All I can do right now is believe…

I'll find you, Lucas, I swear it. And everything will be alright.

* * *

**A/N:** If Lyn only knew…

So yes, we'll be seeing most of the story from Lyn's perspective. This may or may not change later, I can't spoil anything. But for those of you who know what happened in _Snapped_, you must know things aren't going to go as smoothly as everyone hopes…

Keep those reviews coming, people. Any motivation I get to write makes chapters come out faster!


	2. Chapter 1: Broken

**A/N:** Now for Chapter 2 of the sequel, in which Lyn discovers just how cruel fate can be. How it can appear to be working with your desires against all odds, only to be hiding despair in its depths.

What could I possibly mean by this cryptic message? Read on and you'll see...

* * *

_Chapter 1: Broken_

It's strange… I hadn't been home in so long that I forgot how beautiful the nights are here. The ethereal, blue glow of a crescent moon shining through the window of my quarters, surrounded by all those twinkling stars… how many times had I simply lay there on the plains, staring up at the night sky, lost in thought? How many times had I done the same thing at the Smash Manor, thinking about how much I missed it?

It was one of the _least_ prominent things going through my mind right now. Sleep did not come as easy for me as I or my friends had hoped. They told me I should focus on recovering, that I shouldn't worry about these problems while I couldn't do anything about them. But… I just can't do that. I can't stop thinking… of _him_.

What's become of you, Lucas? Why can't I stop worrying about you? It's like a hole in my heart, this feeling that some terrible fate has befallen you, that I can't get rid of. It will all be alright in the end… that's what I keep telling myself. I'm trying so hard to believe it, to convince myself of it, and yet… it's not possible. I'll never be able to convince myself, not until I see you again… with me, safe and sound…

The moonlight illuminates the wall clock. It's just a little past one in the morning… I groan. All I can do is prepare for a sleepless night…

Then, as if someone prodded it, the pit of despair in my heart grows more…

What is this? Why am I feeling this sudden rush of terror and danger…?

As if compelled, I sit myself up. The pain in my ribs had dulled with time; while and sudden movements were very uncomfortable, it was nowhere near as unbearable as it was before. I'd had worse injuries before. I looked out the window in my room, to the far horizon… and I can see red. A red that most definitely does not belong to the rising sun; sunrise is not this early, and the moon is still high in the sky. My instincts immediately declare that this isn't a natural phenomenon. I can tell even having been away for over six months…

_Help_…

I swear that I can feel my heart skip a beat. _That voice_…!

_Help… me…_

There is no mistaking it. It sounds like the hushed, strained whisper that _he_ would always talk to me with when he was distraught. I can almost feel the pain oozing out of the words. "Lucas!" I say, looking around my room frantically. It sounds like he's right here beside me, but… I'm alone in my room…

_Why… why am I… here…?_

What?

_I… can't… control…_

Had I not already known what it was like to be stabbed in the heart, I would compare it to the feeling I get from every word I hear with his voice. The sorrow, the _pain_… I can feel it all. A horrible pain that grips my heart like a vice, biting down like a rabid animal. "Lucas… is this what you're feeling? Are you in pain?" I ask to seemingly no one, hoping he can hear me if he's actually trying to talk to me. "Are you… in danger?"

_Help me… please… help! I… I'm… I'm—_

The despair doubles in intensity then, a feeling so horrible that it nearly knocks me back down to the mattress. But it doesn't, in fact it has made me get _off_ of the bed and onto my feet, the actual _physical _pain in my chest all but forgotten. Something bad is happening to him! I can _feel _it! I… I have to help him! That red sky in the distance… I'm being drawn to it. Is that where you are, Lucas? Is that red sky… a sign that you're sending me? Do you want me to find you?

"I'm coming, Lucas!"

0000000000

To sneak out of Castle Caelin was a simple task; I've done it before, to answer the call of the plains. Even if I am descended from royalty and now make my home in the castle, I miss my original abode in the plains of Sacae dearly and would often go there at night. The procedure this time was no different than before: climbing out of my window with a rope made of bedsheets and cloth, sneaking around to the stables, taking a horse – and a sword for safety – and riding out there. Some of the castle guard would go and bring me back immediately the next day, not harboring any ill will and simply doing their job, if I did not return and actually wound up falling asleep out there. Hopefully this time that won't be necessary and I can return under my own power, with Lucas.

That doesn't stop the horseback ride towards the red sky from being an excruciating experience, however, both physically and mentally. Riding the horse as fast as I can, its undulating body movements wreak havoc with my rib cage, but I'd _still_ had worse. I'd made it through that, and I could make it through this. Worse than that was the feeling of anticipation and concern building up with every passing second on the way to my destination. The closer I get, the greater my desire to find him; my instincts tell me beyond a shadow of a doubt that he is there. I can't hear his voice anymore, but I know.

I estimate it isn't even an hour later that I find the source of the redness in the sky… a bad occurance that I'd once seen before. I didn't notice it before in the night… but there was smoke in the air. Thick, black smoke. I come over a hill, and then I see the destination: a village. A _burning_ village, burning with flames so large and bright that only experience tells me that it is a village and not a forest fire. The bright glow of the fire in the sky, obscured by the smoke… that's what caused the red sky. A burning village… my instinctive desire to find Lucas has turned into sheer panic. He could be burning to death right now.

As I ride closer to the village, the horse bucks, neighing in protest of where I'm taking her. The resulting stomp to signal that it wants to stop after arching upwards like that does no good for my ribs, but I will endure. The horse served its purpose anyway. I dismount it and continue to the village on foot.

The interior of the village is nothing at all like I'd expected. This was no normal fire… people were laying on the ground… definitely dead. Bodies of men, women and… even _children_ litter the ground. But not all of them seem to be burned. I walk forward to inspect them, noticing water on the ground… and some of the people…

I grimace at the horrible sight of a mangled human who didn't die from the fire. There are holes all over his body, literally _all over_ it as if something, or several somethings forced their way out. The end result is so horrid that I can't specify the gender. Another human beside him, a child, suffered the same grizzly fate. Behind them however, is the body of a woman… were these three a family? Her body seems intact, but her head... is _gone_. And it doesn't look as if it was cut off – I'd killed enough enemy soldiers in my lifetime to know this – but rather _blown_ off.

The story is the same for my entire run through the village. Bloody corpses of poor souls having had their lives ended before they should've been. Some burned to death, some mangled beyond all recognition… the ground is a mix of ash and blood soaked into the ground, surrounded by burning wooden buildings. The scene is so horrible that I must fight back the bile trying to crawl up my throat. What on earth could've something like this! Oh, Father Sky and Mother Earth, please don't let Lucas have suffered this fate…!

The destruction only becomes worse as I continue forward, to nearly inconceivable degrees. Patches of _ice_ are littering the ground. Honest to goodness, _ice_, defying the intense heat of the flames which I had been able to ignore until now. And in some of the buildings, it looks like… the ground has been torn up. A ripped up patch of earth is bursting through a house to my left, and another to my right has been crushed flat by a large slab. This is terrible… what could have so much power? I've never seen such destruction before, and to my knowledge there are no magic spells in this world capable of shifting earth. My hopes of saving him are rapidly diminishing… but that doesn't mean they're gone. I won't accept that Lucas died here until I see it with my own two eyes!

I've reached the centre of the village, and in it, a massive monument of power resides, an amalgamation of every travesty in this village. The ground is covered in non-uniform patches of ice, both blue like water and red like blood. Some of that ice is risen into giant spikes, joined by large pillars of uprooted ground. Pieces of scrap rubble are either jammed into the ground or sticking out of it, still on fire. And in the middle of it all, the only sign of life I've seen so far. Two people, a child and a man… the child is standing on top of a block of ice, gripping the man by his throat.

Suddenly, the man's body erupts. Following a huge spasm, spikes of crimson burst out of his body, and not a moment later he goes limp. The boy drops him like a lifeless doll. I'm completely speechless… there was nothing I could do. But… that method of killing… could this be how some of the people I saw on the way here met their end? Their blood turned into a weapon? And because of this… _boy_?

_Help me…_

…Oh no.

_I'm… scared…_

It… _it can't be_…

As he turns to face me, that vice-like grip of despair returns. The boy has no shirt on, only shorts and a pair of sneakers. His hair, once blonde, is matted down with blood. His _whole body_ is smeared with blood, and none of it his own. He looks at me, his face with a curious expression, but even from here… I can see his eyes glowing green…

"L… Lucas…?" My voice is clearly cracking up, fear and shock welling up in me. No… please don't let this be true… it _can't_ be true…! He… did he… "Did you… _do this_…?" I didn't want to ask, but… _I have to know_!

_Can't… control…!_

His mouth then breaks into a face-splitting grin… that ghastly smile from my nightmare. Even his _teeth_ are bloodstained. He giggles madly, slowly, but gradually faster, his head lowered…

_Can't control… _the joy_!_

He throws his head back, going into a full-blown laugh. A laugh so intense that his own body is shaking from it, and nearly hurting my own ears from how loud it is. I can see his face clearly… and my heart sinks.

It really is him. It _is_ Lucas…

"So much blood… so much death… so much _destruction_…!" he starts to ramble, shouting to the heavens. "It's incredible! I've never felt so happy, so _alive_! Please don't… _please don't let it stop_! Don't let it _ever_ stop!"

He breaks down into another laughing fit after this, and I cannot believe what I've just heard. Lucas, feeling happy… over _destruction_! What… what fallacy is this! Lucas would _never_ find joy in something like this! It goes against his nature, his very reasons for living! Why… why in the name of everything that is good and right would he do something so horrible! Why… why…

"_It's gotten so bad that my mind has literally split in two, like another person inside my head..."_

His words enter my thoughts again… that's… that's right… Lucas' mental problems had gotten so bad that… he developed another him… Paula called it "Split Personality Disorder," didn't she? Then… this Lucas…

This isn't the Lucas I know… he's…

"_I think... it's only a matter of time before I lose myself completely…"_

He's gone… he's went completely mad…

All of the tears I had tried not to cry before, that I had tried to dry up, they're coming out now as I fall to my knees in defeat. Everything we've been through… everything I've done to help you… was it… all for naught…? Was I not strong enough to help you…? His laughing fit finally ends, and he leans his head towards me, grinning savagely… I may not be psychic like him, but I can feel the killing intent he's exuding. He's still giggling slightly through his clinched teeth.

"Lucas… is this… what you tried to prevent…?" I ask him. He does not reply, or even react. He just looks at me with his glowing, green eyes glazed over with battle lust.

"_Lyn... if that happens..."_

I close my eyes slowly, trying to refocus myself…

" _I want you to stop me..."_

I open them again, gathering what determination and courage I have left before standing up and clutching the hilt of my katana. I finally tell him, "I'm sorry, Lucas… prepare yourself."

His grin does not falter as his head tilts to the left in confusion… or is it amusement? I don't know this facet of Lucas. The old him, the kind him I could read like a book; he wasn't good at hiding what he was feeling… it was the only way I knew how to help him or cheer him up. But the _new_ Lucas, his alternate personality developed from all of his repressed sorrow and malice… this was an entirely different being. A monster taking on the appearance of my dearest friend… there was only one option before me now: to fulfill the promise Lucas made me make to him. I have to strike him down, and end this torment he is undergoing.

As if to answer my challenge, he lets out a loud battle cry as his eyes glow brighter. That glow then appears on his hands and he slams them down into the mixture of blood and water pooled around him. "PK Freeze!" he shouts. I immediately dash to the left. As anticipated, large spikes of frozen liquid burst out of the water, quickly expanding from where the hands splashed down out to where I was standing. Then I back flip before he swings his arm in my direction, causing the ice to change its direction to where I just was. Ignoring my rib cage's protest, I bound over the ice and unsheathe my katana, slashing at his arms. I expect him to jump away, but he doesn't; instead he shouts, "Offense up!" and brings his other arm up to slam me in the stomach with much more force than someone his age should be able to muster. The wind is knocked out of me as I'm sent flying back a good few feet before rolling backwards into a kneeling position, sliding along the water and the ice below it. Damn… that was unexpected. It was like he didn't even _see_ my katana, he just counter-attacked me right away… that would've been very bad if he'd hit just a little higher. I have to remember that this is the _other_ Lucas. I know his PSI attack patterns well enough to avoid them, and it also helps that he's saying his attacks before he uses them now – though I don't know why – but they're bound to be much more powerful and erratic. I have to be careful. Even if it _is_ my best friend, I can't let my guard down against such an opponent. Lucas jumps up high, prepared to being a glowing fist down on me. "PK Ground!"

I become very worried now, never having heard of any such attack. Is this a new one he'd mastered without telling me? My first instinct is the get the hell away from an ability I'm not familiar with, and I don't argue with it. I run a couple of feet away before Lucas crashes down on where I was, and the ground flies up around him and _crashes_ together above him like a claw. Oh yes, getting away was a _very_ good idea; I would've been crushed into pulp if I'd been caught by that… and then blown to pieces judging from the burst of flame that obliterated those chunks of rock a second later. This definitely explained the bits of earth that destroyed some of the buildings in the village; I didn't even know such an ability existed! And so many people wanted him because of all the power he commands… it makes my stomach turn.

Lucas looks around for a moment, wondering where I've gone. When he sees me, he giggles madly and raises a hand up. Green light collects around it, and then above it, forming a very wavy, unstable hexagonal shape. It's not as clear as it usually is, but I immediately recognize what's coming and get ready to perform some acrobatics. "PK Love…" he says in a quiet voice, before descending into another laughing fit as he lowers his hand and the hexagon at me. Like one of those rapid-fire weapons called "machine guns" in some of the more advanced worlds, that hexagon fires at me and is immediately followed by a wide stream of other hexagons. I run around to the left, I slide on the ice under it and run to the right, I jump off of the ice and earthen pillars jutting out of the ground, anything I can to get out of the way. His hand follows me the whole time with the intent on plastering with the endless torrent of raw, compressed psychic power, laughing like the maniac he's become all the while at the widespread destruction he's causing. Every complex twist, turn and jump I'm forced to make causes more and more pain to my ribs, but I just grit my teeth and endure it. This pain is nothing compared to what will happen if Lucas' attack hits me, much less to the pain he could be suffering right now.

When I manage to flip behind him, I have my chance to fight back. He quickly corrects his aim and tries to shoot me down, but I'm quick enough to reach him before he can completely adjust and slash at his wrist. He yanks his hand back and screams, much louder than I thought he would, and jumps back as he holds his hand where the new gash has formed in it. Blood is leaking out of it profusely, and he looks at it with wide eyes… almost like he's in a trance. His eyes narrow, and he growls before looking at me and roaring like an angry animal. It makes my heart break, having to hurt him…

He turns his attention back to the wound and seethes, "PK Freeze…" The hand covering the gash begins to glow… what is he doing? Is he… freezing the wound shut? Why not just use PK Healing on it? It's a horrific revelation when I see the end result; it's not the wound he was freezing, but rather the blood. Making it run down his hand, melding it into the shape of… I can only describe it as a jagged, three-pronged claw of some sort. He's froze the blood to his hand and made it into a sizeable weapon the length of half of his arm. A small spark of Lucas' cunning.

He grins at me again, then charges at me with the odd weapon, leaving me confused as I raise my katana and block it. The Lucas I know would never be stupid enough to challenge me to a melee battle, he _knew_ his skills with weapons were subpar. He prefers to use his PSI powers to deal with enemies, and only uses a spear or staff for self-defense. It was why we made such a good team; I would charge into the fray, and he would support me from afar. We had essentially hammered the strengths and weaknesses of our fighting styles into each other's heads. Does this mean that the other Lucas, the maddened one, didn't even retain _that_?

He brings the claw back and swings at me again, harder this time. The impact is much harder to hold my katana against; I'd forgotten that he used Offense Up. He swings again and again, frantically and viciously, screaming in anger with every attack. But as strong and tiring as these attacks are, there's no form or pattern to them. Another difference from the Lucas of old: he wasn't _great_ with a spear, but he at least had some kind of grace in how he swung it. He knew enough to swing a weapon in such a way that he could attack again or block an incoming attack immediately afterward. This insane facet of him was just swinging randomly, and I would teach it that this is a fatal mistake just like I did the original.

I force back the claw further than he had intended on and slash at his hand again, trying to shatter the frozen blood holding the claw in place. I hit his arm instead though due to his flailing. He screams in rage and pain and tries to hit me again, but I don't let him. I charge at him and in a moment faster than most can perceive, I'm on the other side of him. I could tell from the resistance against the katana that I hit him, and I turn back in time to see blood gush out from the large gash I've left in his front. A cross between a groan and a scream is his response as he falls backward to the ground, spasming wildly in the bloodied water. It's like my heart is ripping in two, watching him suffer like this… but what choice do I have? Despite the flailing he still stares at me, glowing green eyes burning with madness and rage. It's like his body is registering the pain, but not his mind… I won't do this any longer. I have to end this now. I walk up to him, katana gripped firmly in my hand…

His body freezes up. His eyes are wide, glowing brighter, and his mouth is agape… and he begins to lift himself off of the ground. Not with his arms and legs, he's just… moving on his own, floating upwards and laughing lightly. Levitation? Lucas wasn't strong enough to do this no matter how many times he tried; he can only slow his descents and increase his jump height and distance, he can't reverse gravity's hold on him. The only times he's ever floated up like this was…

Oh shit.

This battle isn't over. My fears are confirmed when his body begins to glow white. That white light is starting to collect over his head as his body flips upright, his hands holding either side of it. It has quickly grown to three times the size of his head. Can he really use that PSI technique in this state of mind? He roars another battle cry, and the white ball spontaneously doubles in size. The power the ball is exuding is enough to completely shatter the blood claw Lucas froze onto his hand upon contact. My panic doubles as well; he's really going to do it! I look around frantically for any cover in the area, but there is none. The past barrage of PK Love had decimated everything, leaving nothing but flat ground and rubble. There is nowhere for me to hide.

"PK…" I turn to him and see that the ball has grown to the size of a small building. He's sporting a maniacal grin. "_Starstorm_!"

I can only watch in horror as the ball launches upwards like a rocket into the smoke-filled night sky, putting the light supplied by the fire to shame. PK Love is meant to be Lucas' trump card in battle. PK Starstorm is what he has as a desperation move. His ultimate PSI technique, it's so powerful and so dangerous that it could lay waste to an entire town at full power. He usually prefers not to use this for one very good reason: he can't control where it hits, putting both friend and foe in grave danger. But it also takes a lot of concentration and leaves him completely powerless and exhausted after use… that's why I didn't think the other Lucas could pull it off. Now it looks like I'm about to pay for my ignorance. Even if I _could_ reach Lucas to strike him down – which I can't now anyway, he's hovered too high up – there's no stopping the attack once it starts. Even if I had attacked him while he were charging it up, it would've detonated in his hands and incinerated us both. That's how dangerous it is.

I can hear a thunderous boom and look up to the sky, the smoke glistening with a dull white where the energy ball exploded. Several similar lights expand out of it, like those party favours called "fireworks." It's beautiful… but it's deadly, as the smoke parts in places to reveal those bright white balls that broke off from the main one falling downward onto the already-destroyed village. Like a small scale meteor shower, localized in one area. My area.

With no cover for me to use – and even if there were, it probably wouldn't even come close to standing up to this – all I can do is try to avoid the falling "stars" as I've come to call them. I only just start to hear Lucas' deranged laughter again before the first star impacts the ground, the resulting blast nearly deafening me. The shot was very far off, harmless detonating on the street I took to get here. The second is much closer, blasting a toppled ice pillar and sending shrapnel everywhere. I cross my arms in front of me face just in case, but I'm very surprised to see that the flying ice had already melted and evaporated. I did _not_ know the stars from PK Starstorm were that hot. Just _one_ of these could very well kill me. And that's what the third falling star threatens to do, headed right in my direction. I run away from that spot, and the impact is so strong that the wind pushes me forward even further. The blast of heat and wind is only temporary, but still very intense.

Three more stars land wide of me, striking a slab of rock and two burning buildings. I have to avoid the next one after that, and then another right after; my leg was nearly blown off. That's essentially the story for the whole attack; I couldn't tell you for sure how many stars fell, I lost count somewhere in the thirties. I'm sure it's nothing but sheer dumb luck that I'm relatively unscathed, having only been pushed around a lot by the stars. But it could've been a lot worse if one had actually landed on me. There's hardly any trace left of the village now, looking more like a modern-day war zone with "landmines," which I'm told are hidden explosive charges in the ground triggered by stepping on them, having detonated everywhere. Some of the later impact craters are glowing red from heat, making these ruins swelteringly hot. And Lucas… what of Lucas?

I look to him. He's floating back to the ground slowly, looking very cross, and very exhausted from how he's panting hoarsely. Despite this however, he runs at me the moment his feet are back on the ground, managing an exasperated yell as he tries to punch me with his right hand that I cut earlier. I kick him in the stomach; he falls down instantly. Frankly I'm surprised he could even move _at all_ after using PK Starstorm, usually he's too exhausted to. Is he running only on pure, instinctive killing intent now?

Regardless, now is the time to end this. Surely he hasn't the strength left to use any more PSI techniques, at least… but he's still trying to get to his feet. I jump onto him to keep him pinned down, straddling his arms and legs and holding my katana threateningly to his forehead. He still struggles against me, roaring at me in ignorance of the weapon… but I can see in his wide, glowing eyes that he has caught a whiff of fright. It seems more that he's trying to get away than to get me into a position where he can kill me.

The monster knows what fear is suddenly…

_Scared…_

His voice is in my head again, despite that his lips don't move…

_I'm… scared…_

Regret is pooling in me. I've had to inflict so much pain on him, to push him to such an extreme… but what choice did I have? This is what Lucas asked me to do. He knew what would happen if he lost control, and it _has_ happened. That's why he asked me to stop him. That's why I _have_ to stop him. And yet… every other instinct in my body is screaming at me not to. Telling me that there's still a chance to save him. But if I don't… how many more will die? How many more people will lose their lives just because _we're not strong enough_!

But… he's my friend… he's my best friend. I'm being made to _kill my best friend_, in cold blood! I can feel the tears forcing their way out of my eyes again. This… _this isn't right_… why does this have to happen? Why does he have to die? Just because everyone wants to use him? Just because he _knows too much_? His entire life has been a nightmare, just because of power-hungry mongrels… and look at what it's done to him…

I have to stop it. As much as it pains me inside, I have to stop it. There's no other way now…

I scream, burying the regret and sorrow as I raise my katana and bring its end down on his forehead.

His gasp is the last thing I hear before I shut my eyes. Then suddenly, everything is quiet except for the flames and the night breeze…

What… _what have I done_…?

_I missed_…!

I realize immediately the difference between the frozen ground and flesh and bone, and my eyes fly open to see that I've struck the ice, not even an inch away from Lucas' head. In fact it's so close that I sliced off a few of his hairs.

I choke out a whimper. I missed, and he's still alive. Feelings of remorse and relief battle in my mind and soul. I didn't kill him, but he's still suffering. I could've ended his suffering, but I didn't. Why… _why couldn't I do it_!

Lucas' body begins to spasm under me again, and in my state of indecision pulls a hand free. He growls and yells before grabbing my by the shoulder and flipping us around. Suddenly I'm the one pinned to the ground, and he's looming over me, glowing eyes filled with incomprehensible rage. Is he angry at me for trying to kill him? Or for _failing_ at killing him? He brings his fist back and punches me squarely in the cheek with so much force that I fear he's broken my jaw. Even without Offense Up, Lucas can punch hard. This boy grew up on a farm after all. He then brings the other fist back and hits me with it, alternating between the two. It's like he's trying to knock some sense into me.

Before long, I'm dizzy from the thoughtless wailing on my face. I can't tell whether it's one second or an eternity before he stops, and starts grinning like a hyena again. He clutches his hand to my throat… his hand is colder than ice. It shouldn't be this cold in this heat. I think back to the unfortunate grown man I'd seen him kill when I'd arrived… he's going to do the same to me. He's going to freeze my blood and make it burst out of me. And… there's nothing I can do…

I'm going to die again… first by my own hands, now by my best friend's… how ironic…

"I'm sorry…" I manage to squeak out through my compressed windpipe. It's the only thing I can think to say… all I can do is apologize to him for not being able to fulfill my promise to him…

His grip on my throat weakens.

_What_…?

He stopped…? I slowly, cautiously raise my head so I can look at him one last time… his wide eyes aren't alight with anger anymore. I see surprise in them. His smile has faded as well.

_Why_…?

He's… asking me why I'm sorry? "Because… I couldn't keep our promise…" I reply. His head lolls to the side, twitching. Is he… confused? "You made me promise I'd stop you if you ended up like this… and I couldn't do it… I'm sorry…"

"Promise…?" This time he speaks through his own lips. His voice is light and raspy. "To… stop me…?"

I grow very concerned now. Doesn't he remember? "Don't you remember, Lucas…?" I ask him. His head begins to twitch more. "Look around you… you wanted me to make sure you… didn't do something like this…"

And he does look around, slowly. He takes in the scene around him, everything that he caused. "What…" he says lightly. "Why did I…?" His body is starting to shake. His hand slowly grasps his head. "Why did I… do this…? Who were… those people…?"

I can't believe this. Was the damage to his mind so great that he barely even realized what he was doing? "You lost your mind, Lucas… your power overwhelmed you… you couldn't control it…" I tell him. I'm not _entirely_ sure how PSI works, I'm just guessing. But I have to tell him what I think.

"I… I lost… control…?" His voice is starting to sound more forceful, more desperate. He clutches his head with both hands now, shaking it wildly before looking at me. His eyes… the green glow in them is starting to fluctuate. I'm starting to see the blue in them again. "L… Lyn…?"

Is he remembering…? "Yes, Lucas…" I answer him. "I… tried to stop you… I tried so hard, but… I wasn't strong enough… _we_ weren't strong enough… we couldn't prevent a disaster…"

His breathing is getting ragged. The glow in his eyes has faded completely. "We… we… you… I…" he mutters. "I… I hurt you…" he says. "I… hurt… I _killed_… all of those people…" Tears are welling up in his eyes. "What… what have I… done…"

He suddenly falls down on top of me. "L-Lucas?" I stutter in surprise. He's… he's not moving. Panic fills my heart as I check for a pulse on his neck… it's there. It's erratic, but it's there. Putting my hand onto his back, I can feel his unstable breathing. Something is definitely wrong with him, but he is still alive. He just… fainted…

I don't know what to make of the situation. It looked like he was starting to regain himself, and then he just… collapsed onto me, unconscious. The only thing I can think to do is hold his head to my chest, to offer him what little comfort I can… I haven't the strength to get up. Even with my adrenaline having run its course and the cold of the frozen ground beneath me, it's not enough for me to move. I'm just… too tired…

"Lady Lyndis!"

I slowly turn my head in the direction of the new voice, to see people running towards me. My vision is blurry from this distance I can't see them clearly… I can only make out human-sized blurs of red and green. And one of them called me "Lady Lyndis…"

They're Caelin knights, no doubt sent out after me.

I smile weakly, before exhaustion takes over and my world fades to black…

* * *

**A/N:** Phew… that battle was easier to write than the last one in _Snapped_ was, if you can call that a battle rather than a one-sided beatdown.

So she finds him, sooner than expected… but not like she was hoping. Now that Lyn has seen the destruction psycho-Lucas is capable of and couldn't bring herself to put a permanent end to it, how will this affect things? You'll have to look at the next chapter and see. Some things may or may not surprise you.


	3. Chapter 2: Recovering

**A/N:** With Lucas saved, this chapter obviously contains the heart-warming reunion... only, not really. Nothing is certain with the madness looming in his heart.

* * *

_Chapter 2: Recovering_

Ugh... I feel horrible... for the first time since I can remember, I'm in so much discomfort that I don't want to get out of bed...

Wait... bed?

Despite the very prominent urge to just rest, I open my eyes. Pain is flaring in my chest again... rather than aggravate my broken ribs further by turning my body over, I simply roll my head. Indeed, I am laying on a bed, in my own room. So I was brought back here... well, it only makes sense since it was a group of Caelin knights that found me. But what's different is the pain in my cheeks and my chinbone... I run a lazy hand over it and immediately recognize the feeling of bandages. Right... Lucas was punching me hard. I'm lucky he didn't break my jaw. My thoughts immediately shift to the boy who I had longed to find; where is he now? What condition is he in, both body and mind?

"Are you coming around?" speaks a weathered, male voice. My Grandfather. I bring my head up to look at him, sitting in a plain, wooden chair that is usually tucked under my room desk. He is alone this time instead of barging in unannounced like before. "How are you feeling?"

Knowing he would protest to me trying to sit up in this state, I lay my head back down before answering him. "Other than my ribs and my cheeks being sore... I feel alright." I reply.

He sighs exasperatedly, no doubt relieved. "My Granddaughter, I wish you would not be so reckless! I have enough stress maintaining this nation without having to worry about you!"

Worrying about me... I had no choice but to cause that. No one would have let me go after Lucas – or perhaps not even believe my instincts that he was in that rundown village – due to me being injured. The Caelin army protects me just as fervently as they do their Marquess. "I'm sorry, Grandfather... but I had to..."

"Mm... say no more, Lyndis. I understand. Were I in your position, I doubt I would have done any differently." he tells me in a solemn tone. I cringe with regret; I know he must be thinking of my late Mother and Father as he says that. "What I _don't_ understand is how you knew that your friend was there. How did you know after being unaware of the past three days?"

His question baffles me, until I think about it... "I... honestly don't know." I tell him. "It was like I could hear him calling out to me in agony... and then, I just... _knew_ he was in that village." I shake my head on the pillow in frustration at not having a better answer. "All I knew was that he was in pain and that I had to find him." Grandfather did not reply. He's likely as perplexed as I am. And since I'm on the topic... "Where is he now?"

"Receiving treatment in the medical ward." he says. "He hasn't awoken since he was brought back with you... we've had to force-feed him." Whatever joy I would've felt at him being here and safe is overridden by the second part of his answer. "Lyndis… there is something I must ask you. Please answer me truthfully." I blink in surprise at his sudden formality. What could he want to know? Granted there are a great many things about this entire situation he likely does not know yet, but… what specifically? "When you found your friend… was he unconscious? Was he in that malnourished state?"

I feel the sting of despair in my heart. No, I hadn't… his body appeared just fine, to me. Then again, I couldn't tell clearly because he was covered in blood… and I hadn't cared to really look. I was too busy fighting for my life. "…No…" I answer honestly. There's but a single reason I can think that he would ask me that; Eliwood or Ninian told him about Lucas… about his mental condition.

"I'd thought not…" Grandfather said. "Lyndis… were you aware that the village was going to be in that state when you found him?"

I shake my head against the pillow again. "I didn't even know I was heading to a village in the first place… just that he was there." I reply. I'm starting to get a little uncomfortable with this scenario. "Grandfather, why are you asking me these questions?" I inquire.

He doesn't answer me immediately, there is a very long pause before he speaks. I know that whatever he is going to tell me cannot be good. "Lyndis… that village you entered… it wasn't the only one destroyed."

I gasp slowly as I absorb that information, my eyes widened with shock. I can feel tears pooling at my eyelids. "You don't mean…"

He sighs sadly. "I'm afraid so, Lyndis. Within the last three days, no less than four entire villages have been decimated." _Four_! Oh no… then all of those people… "Furthermore… the trail of destruction seems to be pointed towards Caelin."

Now the tears start to flow. I know what he is implying; it was Lucas who destroyed those villages. In his madness, had had ended at least four times as many lives as I thought… and… all on his way _here_? Was he… looking for me?

"You must understand where I am going with this." he says to me, trying to sound stern, but still in a quiet voice. "Was this travesty brought upon those people by your friend?"

I can't answer him immediately… I fear for what might happen. But surely he already knows the truth… he just wants me to confirm it. "I fear that it was…" I admit, unable to prevent sobs from escaping my voice. "But, please understand, Grandfather! Lucas was not always like this! He was… he _is_ a sweet young man… before… before that _monster_ appeared…"

"Monster… you refer to the man Marquess Eliwood calls 'Shadow,' correct?" Grandfather asks.

"Yes… that's his name." I reply.

"Mm." he mutters. "Do not take this the wrong way, my Granddaughter… but I fear that if 'Lucas' is not of a sound mind when he awakes, that Caelin may befall the same fate as those villages." I cannot make an argument to him, no matter how desperately I want to. Caelin, brought to ruin by his unrestrained power… I hadn't even thought of that possibility before. "You would know better than anyone. Are my fears founded?"

I know it's pointless to argue otherwise. I _had_ seen the destruction he was capable of. "I… I think so…" I reply shakily, afraid of where this conversation is going. "Grandfather, don' tell me you mean to-"

"Of course I would not simply abandon him!" He retorts immediately... he already knew what I was going to say. "He is a living being, and furthermore, a dear friend of my Granddaughter. I would not just throw him out into the wild, especially not in his state." This sudden shift of perspective from my Grandfather causes my tears to stop. At the very least, I'm glad he doesn't seem him as _just_ a threat to his homeland. "However… the fact remains that if he stays here, it could very well be the end of Caelin." he adds, then sighs with distress. "Lyndis… I do not know what to do."

Indeed… it was an incredible dilemma that I'd brought upon my Grandfather and his people, and I immediately feel regret for it. I didn't want to cause him this much trouble… I just wanted my best friend back… "I'm sorry, Grandfather…" I apologize.

"No, do not apologize, Lyndis." he urges me. "You were only following your heart. No one can fault you for caring for him." A tense silence follows. It's true, I do care for him, very much. But I had never expected to have to choose between him and my own people… damn you, Shadow. Damn you for all eternity for torturing us so! "Lyndis, in your opinion… how stable is Lucas?"

I hadn't expected that, and have to think about it carefully before answering. It was a safe assumption that madness was very much existent in his mind to the point where he would destroy for the sake of destroying, for the sheer enjoyment. It had nearly made me kill him… but after I failed, when he mounted me and I apologized to him… "He might not be beyond saving…" I answer finally. "At least, I think so."

"How certain are you?" He asks.

"If he weren't… you would be burying me instead of nursing me back to health." I reply bluntly. Grandfather grunts in discomfort. Perhaps I should've put it more lightly than that… "The Lucas I know isn't completely gone yet. I'm sure of it."

"Then... I promise we will do whatever we can to help him." Grandfather declares to me. "Make no mistake, we _will_ have to take precautions should this get out of hand, but we _will_ try."

His words offer me a little comfort at least. "…That's all I can ask."

"Do you know anything that might make things easier for us?" he asks. "Matters of magic are one thing, but the power of the mind is something very new to us."

I could relate to that. His power had baffled and amazed me too, when I first met him… but being with him for six months did not make me an expert on psychokinetics. Then the figurative light bulb turns on in my head; _I_ might not have experience, but I know someone who does. "Does anyone here know how to use the transportation system?"

"The knights Kent and Sain do, and I recently learned."

That's both amusing and surprising; Kent and Sain, my loyal Caelin knights and dear friends, were taught how to use the transportation system in case of a dire emergency that involved me in some way. I didn't think Grandfather would've though. "You? Really?"

Grandfather chuckles and jokes, "There is no reason you can't teach an old dog new tricks."

I manage a weak laugh. In any event, this was perfect. "Then I know someone who can help." I tell him. "Can you use the machine to go to a place called 'San Miguel?' You can find her there."

"Certainly." he replies, and then asks, "What is her name?"

"Paula."

0000000000

It was a case of "no sooner said than done." Within moments Grandfather had left to go and bring Paula here… I hope that I'm right in that she can help me. I don't know anyone else who can… the only other person I can think of is Ness, and unfortunately I don't know where he is. Shadow did not disclose what world we had confronted him in, and Meta Knight hadn't figured it out before Lucas and I left to face him. I didn't know any geography of Ness' world either, so I couldn't travel there to ask a more-experienced psychic for help. If Paula can't help Lucas, then… I don't know what I'm going to do.

After Grandfather left, I had dressed myself in my usual attire, ignoring my injuries, and set off for the hospital wing. I'd intended to see Lucas first thing, but I was stopped by Kent, the red armor-clad knight of Caelin. He fit the "knight in shining armor" role to a tee, a big, strong man with short, fiery red hair. He is a skilled Cavalier and fiercely loyal to me and Grandfather. He would not let me see Lucas just yet, vouching that Lucas was a danger to me in this state. I dared to disagree, but he managed to convince me that it would be better to wait until Grandfather had returned with Paula. He also urged me to go back to my room and rest my injuries until then, but this is where I drew the line and would not move away from the door to the hospital wing. Besides, surely they wouldn't be too long now if everything went well.

And sure enough, just two minutes later…

"Lyn!" I turned to see Paula running ahead of a group consisting of Grandfather, Eliwood, Ninian and Sain. Sain is Kent's trusted Cavalier partner, although he wears green armor instead and has a metal headband holding up his dirty-blonde hair. He's a little more laid back than Kent and is just a little be smaller, and often spends his time womanizing… or trying to at least. Having not seen him for six months, I wouldn't know if he'd actually found a woman to settle down with, and now was not the time to ask.

"Paula! It's good to see you!" I'm elated to finally see Paula here, not just so it means Kent will back down and let me see Lucas, but also because I'm glad to see the face of a friend. It's not as comfortable of a reunion as I'd like though, as when the smaller girl reached me, she wrapped me up in a strong hug. My broken ribs didn't agree with the gesture of affection. "Urgh! Gently, Paula! I'm not in such great shape…"

Her warm smile quickly turns to a pout. "Somehow, I'm not surprised. I haven't seen you, Lucas, Ness… heck, _any_ of the Smashers for three whole days! What happened to you guys!"

My eyes widen. "The Smashers… _didn't come back_?" I ask her, and she shakes her head. Oh no… that could mean all sorts of things, and hopefully not what I think it does...

My thoughts are interrupted as Paula reaches her hand up to my left cheek, and it begins to glow green. She peels the bandage away, and I wince from the sting, until she touches it with that hand. Almost immediately I can feel the soreness from my cheek disappear. She's using PK Healing to repair my injuries… thank goodness. "You got yourself beat up awfully badly… did Lucas seriously do this to you?"

"Just the cheekbones… the broken ribs were from earlier…" I explain to her.

"But he _did_ hurt you." She states bluntly.

"...Yes…" I clarify.

Paula frowns deeply. "I was afraid of that… I thought you'd be the _last_ person he'd hurt…" she says, moving her hand to heal my other cheek. I briefly regard the expressions of the others. They're all staring at the now-healed skin on the right cheek in awe. I'm about to laugh when Paula asks me, "How's he doing now, anyway?"

"He's right behind this door, sleeping… or at least he should be." I tell her. "But as for his mind… I'm not sure. That's why we need you here, Paula."

She nods and replies, "Of course, Lyn." She removes the hand from my cheek, but it still glows. Oh right, the broken ribs. I unbutton the front part of my shirt so she can access the skin there; I fight the urge to groan as the bandages are removed. Everyone is still awed about the supernatural healing rate… Sain a bit more than others, looking a little _too_ closely as Paula continues. I'm in no position to make him stop staring, but Paula is. She raises a hand, and a small ball of fire appears on the tip of her index finger. Without even looking at him she warns him, "Back off, or I'll burn you where no man wants to be burned."

Sain immediately backed away, and this time I have to laugh, along with everyone else in the room… except for Grandfather, who is very irritated at his knight's behaviour. And that's when I realize I can laugh normally without my ribs aching badly. Finally, my rib cage has been healed. I take off the rest of the bandages and button up the top part of my dress again, then stretch because I desperately need it. "Thank you, Paula. I feel much better now."

Paula nods with a grin and says, "You're very welcome." Then her expression turns serious. "Now… let's see how Lucas is doing."

The light-hearted moment is short and sweet. Now it's time to be serious as Kent opens the door to the hospital wing. It's a sizeable room so that it can hold several people at once, ideally injured soldiers coming back from a difficult battle, white-sheeted beds lined up in a six-by-two pattern. At the immediate entrance is a blonde-haired boy sitting up on his bed cross-legged, but not Lucas. Instead, I recognize him as Prince Zephiel. He's been given a dark-green blanket to cover up his body which I recall being devoid of all but a pair of tattered boxers. That reminds me… Zephiel and General Murdock were there at that horrible event in the cave. He sits by his prince in a plain chair, his armor off and laying in a neat pile against the bedframe. His casual attire he has on now is a pair of black denim jeans and an equally-black muscle shirt, doing nothing to hide the mind-boggling amount of muscle he possesses. His expression is as stern as ever, but I can see it in his eyes that he is still very concerned for his prince.

"General Murdock, Prince Zephiel." I greet them both with a polite curtsy.

They both nod, but amazingly it is Zephiel who speaks. "Lady Lyndis. I'm glad to see that you're well."

I wince; his voice is still quite light, as if he's not used to speaking. I can only imagine the terrible things that Shadow must have done to him… he did say that he was tortured. "And the two of you as well… how are you both doing?"

"Our wounds are… healing. But the mental scars will remain for a long time…" Zephiel replied, shuddering. "I still have nightmares of them… the man in black and the… _monster_ that is his ally…" The man in black and the monster… the first is definitely Shadow, and the monster… Giygas, perhaps? I wouldn't know, I haven't seen what he looks like, only heard tales of him from Ness and Lucas. "…But I digress. You're here to see your friend, correct?" he asks me.

I nod to him. Wordlessly he turns his head and points to the far right side of the room, where but a single bed is occupied. There, the young man I seek rests, and I move as fast as I can to his side without breaking into a run. I brush some of his ruffled, blonde hair away so I can see his face. "Lucas..." I mutter. Wearing nothing but a pair of plain, blue boxers I assume are the property of Caelin, I see the state he is in for the first time... and it's heart-wrenching. His breathing is raspy and light, bags have formed under his eyes, his skin is slightly pale... I can even hear his stomach growling from lack of a proper meal. On the outside it looks like a simple case of malnourishment and sleep deprivation, but inside... it must be a completely different story.

"Hmm... with everything Marquess Caelin told me, he's in better shape than I thought he'd be." Paula muses from the other side of the bed across from me, looking over his body's various wounds. Namely the recent ones that I'd been forced to deal to him, the gash on his hand and the wide cut along his chest. "Still, it looks like you had to do a number on him."

"I... didn't have a choice." I reply guiltily as Paula begins to use her power to heal Lucas' chest. "I couldn't just let him keep destroying things... the Lucas I know wouldn't have wanted that."

"Yeah... I agree." Paula says, slowly and carefully guiding her hand up the long wound, closing it up like a zipper.

"To think that someone so young could bring so much destruction..." Sain interjects. "The power of the mind is a terrifying thing indeed..."

"He wasn't always like this." I tell him, fighting the urge to yell at him for sounding insensitive, because I know he isn't. He's merely conveying his own thoughts on the matter. "Before Shadow, he was the sweetest young man you ever would've met. He hated hurting other people. He hardly ever used his power unless it was necessary, but now..." I can't bring myself to finish. The words that he'd shouted aloud when I found him in the burning village, that he said he _loved_ the destruction and begged for more... it haunts me still.

"To corrupt someone so young and innocent to this extent..." Sain continues, his voice stained with rage. "There is no justification for this. This 'Shadow' or whoever he is must beg for the reaper."

"And would you be the one to deliver him? I think not." Eliwood interrupts, drawing everyone's attention to him. "Take it from someone who's tried..."

"You've... battled with him before, Lord Eliwood?" I ask.

He nods to me. "Yes... when he kidnapped Ninian and I... though to say it was a battle is a dramatic overstatement." He replies, before lowering his head in shame. "He was too fast and too strong... I couldn't wound him in the slightest. I was completely powerless..." This is complete news to me. I had no knowledge that Shadow was even capable of fighting until now... though I guess I shouldn't be surprised. But to best Marquess Eliwood, a man who had went up against a giant, fire-breathing dragon and lived to tell the tale, without so much as a scratch? _That's_ surprising, and terrifying.

"An Eternal, an undying being that has lived as long as the Gods themselves, growing ever-stronger..." Ninian says solemnly. "How can we ever hope to stop such a creature?"

How, indeed... of all the questions left behind in that cave, that was the biggest of them all: how to put an end to this living nightmare. "There has to be a way..." Grandfather speaks up. "There _must_ be. If not to permanently destroy him, than at least to stop this madness before it consumes us all. I, for one, will not rest until Shadow has been made to pay penance for what he has done to my Granddaughter and her dearest friend, and to all the others he's wronged."

"You have my word..." We all turn to see General Murdock walking towards us. "...that the Kingdom of Bern will assist you in any efforts you make to bring him to justice. I will not allow this attack on the Prince to go unpunished."

"I will help in any way I can as well." Eliwood adds. "And I'm certain that Marquess Hector of Ostia wouldn't hesitate to assist us. He values his friends just as much as his land." He turns to me. "Shadow will be stopped, Lyndis. This I swear."

Everyone here, banded together in an effort to stop this evil... my friends coming to my aid. It rejuvenates my hope that there may very well be a happy ending to this sad tale. Oh, if only Lucas could hear them now! I look to him with sorrow as Paula finishes healing his wounds, both on his chest and the back of his hand. "You have wonderful friends here, Lyn." Paula says to me. All I can do is blush. "Now, his body is all healed up... it's time to see the state of his mind..."

Now it's time to do what we came here to do: to see his mindset, and make a decision based upon it. As Paula touches one hand to her own forehead and reaches for Lucas', I look to Grandfather briefly; he watches with a stern expression, but I can see the indecision in his eyes. If Lucas is still unstable, if he would give in to his destructive urges the moment he woke up... what would be done to him? No, I shouldn't think that way, not yet. I must believe that he'll be alright. I must remember their words from yesterday, that everything will turn out okay if I just _believe_.

As Paula's fingertips finally make contact, I feel my heart skip in anticipation. She closes her eyes... I immediately notice pain in her expression as she scrunches up her face in discomfort. "This is... bad..." She says, gritting her teeth. I can only imagine what she could be seeing... but I know it must not be good. "I can see... all of his memories... his nightmares, oh _God_ his nightmares..." Tears are starting to line her eyes. Is this too difficult for her?

"Paula, if this is too hard for you, you don't have to do it." I tell her, concerned for her safety. She had alluded to the dangers of entering someone's mind when she did this procedure with Lucas' brother, and I've seen what uncontrolled insanity can do to a psychokinetic mind.

"N-no... I can do it." Paula stammers. "It's just... so horrible... I can see everything, every intricate detail of his life up to this point, and it's _horrible_... how he's managed to survive it all and maintain his sanity for this long is just unreal." she explains. "But he's still in there... I can feel him... I'm... nearly there..." Then, her eyes shoot open. "I've got it."

My eyes go wide. "Really!" I'm not sure exactly what to hope she found, but I'm hoping she's found the real him in that calamitous mess that is his mind.

"His sanity is still very much intact." Paula tells me. "At least for now, Lucas is in control of himself."

I feel relief the likes of which no one would believe. He's alright... "Thank goodness..." I say, clutching my heart and trying to calm myself down. "Can you... wake him?"

"...I'm not sure if that's a good idea." Paula says. "His sanity is there, but it's very fragile... and using my mind to force him into consciousness is one heck of a jumpstart. I might set him off." She opens her eyes and looks to me sadly. "I'm sorry, but the best thing to do is let him wake up on his own."

"Oh... I see..." I will admit that I am disappointed, but not too much. I don't want to speed things up if it means risking his safety or anyone else's. "Isn't there anything we can do?"

Paula expression brightens. "I can't wake him, but I can let you talk to him through his mind... it's the same process when he talked to his brother." she explains. "But if I were you, I'd make it quick, just long enough to let him know you're alright and say hello and such."

"...I can't ask for anything more."

She nods wordlessly, touching my forehead and his again. "Close your eyes..." she instructs, and I do as told... my head is going blank...

0000000000

I can see only darkness. I can't tell how long it is as I travel through this black space, before I see something appearing before me as a discoloured blur...

No, some_one_.

As the image clears, I immediately recognize Lucas. His hair is combed into his trademark swirl, and he's wearing his usual combination of a yellow-and-red striped t-shirt and blue denim shorts. He sits on a nonexistent floor, curled up into a ball... I can't see his face since it's huddled against his knees.

I walk over to him, my shoes making no noise in this blank space. I kneel down to him and address him. "Lucas?"

He hardly budges from his position, he only raises his head slightly so that he can look at me, and I can see his face. His expression is... so distant. His skin is paler in here than it is on the outside, and the bags under his eyes are worse... the physical Lucas looked like he hadn't slept or eaten in three days. The mental Lucas looked like he hadn't slept or eaten in three _weeks_. Is this the real result of all the pain he's been through? "Is it... really you, Lyn...?" he asks after a moment of just looking at me. His voice is monotone, scratchy and slow...

"Yes, it's me, Lucas." I reply, doing my best to put on a smile for him. As happy as I am to see the real Lucas again, seeing him in this state is making my heart ache. I reach out my hand to caress his cheek...

"_Don't touch me_!" he shrieks at me suddenly, making me jump back and retract my arm. I can feel an uneasy vibration all around me, as if his voice had made a caused in this nonexistent room. Where on earth did that shout come from? Lucas has never, _ever_ raised his voice to me, not even when he was angry... "I don't want to hurt you too..."

Oh... now I understand. He believes that even in this mental plane of existence that he might do harm to me... and he may very well be able to. His power comes from the mind, and I'm _inside_ of his mind. I have no idea how delicate the balance between reason and madness is in here, so I must tread lightly. Not only so that I don't bring harm to myself, but so that I don't destroy whatever is left is his fragile sanity. I'll have to take Paula's advice: do a simple meet and greet, then get out.

"Were you... hurt?" he asks me, voice plain and devoid of emotion again. "When I fought you... were you hurt?"

I shake my head. "It was more painful to my heart than my body..." I admit to him. "...Lucas... I'm sorry."

"...For what?" he asks blandly.

"Oh, so many things..." I reply, unable to prevent myself from sobbing. "But the biggest among them is that I could protect you, or keep my promise to you... I tried so hard not to let this happen, but... I wasn't strong enough..."

"Lyn... don't cry. Crying doesn't suit you." he tells me. "I should be the one apologizing. I should never have forced you into that promise."

I wipe the tears from my eyes, trying not to let them resurface. "No... you had every reason to."

His stoic expression does not change, instead he lowers his head back down. But I can still hear what he says clearly. "How are you in here?"

"Paula helped me." I answer him. "She says I shouldn't stay here for long... that it might be dangerous."

"...I see." He responds flatly. "She's probably right. Even now I can feel the other me trying to take control again." This only makes me more concerned... he has to fight his inner demons even while unconscious? "Then, before you go, could you tell me how you survived? And... what happened to the others?"

I had a feeling he was going to ask me that. There was no reason to lie to him... and even if there was, I doubt I would be able to. "I'm not sure myself... but I heard from Lord Eliwood that it was a woman with green hair who saved my life. I think it might have been the Goddess Palutena."

"...A God... saved you?"

"I was surprised too, especially after everything Shadow told us about the Gods... but I don't think it could've been anyone else." I explain to him. "There's still a lot of things I need to find out."

"And... the others?"

My expression turns solemn. "...They never returned to San Miguel."

"What do you mean?"

"Paula told me that they never came back..." I tell him truthfully. "We don't know where they are or what they're doing."

Lucas hugs his legs tighter to his chest. "Gone for three days with no contact... that isn't good."

I lower my head and reply, "I know... but I'm sure they're fine. We know how strong the Smashers are. They won't go down without one hell of a fight."

"I know... but we still have to make sure." I nodded in agreement. "I only wish I could help... but like this..."

"Don't worry about it, Lucas." I say, finally able to smile genuinely. "I'm going to find them, _and_ protect you. I swear, I will _not_ fail this time." He looks up at me again. "You just focus on getting better and leave the rest to me, okay?"

It takes him a little while to reply. "...Okay."

I nod to him, and get to my feet. "I had better leave now. You need your rest."

"...Okay."

As much as I don't want to leave him, I must for the good of us both. Besides, I'll be able to care better for him on the outside than in here... at least for now... "Sleep well..."

0000000000

In the waking world, my eyes open again. I feel... disoriented. What just happened was literally and out of body experience, and none of my senses are working right. I have to fight just to make sure I don't fall backwards. When I can see straight again, I'm looking at a very concerned Paula. "Are you alright, Lyn?"

I grab my forehead to stop my world from spinning. "I'm a little dizzy, but I'm okay." I notice that most of the room's occupants aren't where they were before; only Prince Zephiel, General Murdock and Paula had not moved. I look around to see that everyone else was crowded around me with worry etched into their faces.

"Phew... that's good." Paula sighed. "I've never done that with a non-psychic before. I'm surprised your mind even budged from your body."

I rub my eyes... it feels like I'd fallen asleep. In fact, I feel like I want to go _back_ to sleep. "Well, I don't _think_ I was hallucinating, at least... I did talk to him." I reply.

"How is he doing?" she asks.

"His attitude was kind of... dull. Distracted, maybe." I answer her, trying to figure out how to explain it. "He looked a lot worse in there than out here..."

Paula hummed lowly to herself. "Well, he _has_ been trying to hold back the madness in his mind, and he's only been succeeding barely." she explains. "But at least he's trying. It'll be a long, painful process for him, but I think he'll recover if he keeps at it."

"So... is there any concern for Caelin's safety as long as he rests here?" Kent asks. Always straight to the point...

This question made Paula noticeably uneasy. "I really, _really_ wish I could say no, but... there's no telling for sure. It could just take one little thing, the tiniest accident to unleash his other personality again." I frown. So that was her honest opinion... could that last smidgen of his sanity be so easily crushed? Paula looks to me and says, "I think, Lyn, that it'd be best if I brought him back to San Miguel with me."

To go back there... that actually might not be a bad idea. In fact I think that's a _great_ idea. Not only would it remove the potential threat of Caelin being destroyed by his relentless power, but I'm quite sure the people there are better-equipped to handle this issue than we are. Lucas would be under the care of people he actually knows, and would only be one transportation system jump away. "Hmm... now that I think about it, I agree. He'll be better taken care of there and not be too far away." I reply.

"Ahh... what a relief this is..." my Grandfather said, sounding very relieved. "We are indebted to you, young psychic."

Paula blushed, but quickly shook it off. "Still though, I don't think we should move him yet...can we give him until tomorrow to rest?" she asked. "I think Lyn would like to stay with him anyway..." Now _I_ blush. She's looking at me with a strange smile and a twinkle in her eye, as if she knows something I don't...

"I see no problem with that." Grandfather agreed. "If that's the case though, would you mind staying should something happen?"

Paula nodded and replied, "If you'll have me."

"Certainly. I'll have some quarters prepared for you." Grandfather said finally, before addressing everyone. "Now... we have to discuss how exactly to deal with this immortal monster. Lyn, you can stay with Lucas if you like..."

I want to stay with him... "May I, please?"

Grandfather simply nodded, and I can feel my heart soaring. Everyone proceeds single file out of the room, except for Murdock and Zephiel, who I assume wouldn't bother me or Lucas. I look at his sleeping face again, and it only increases my resolve. Even when his body doesn't function, his mind is still fighting against the madness that has taken hold. He's not giving up yet...

"If you don't give up, neither will I."

* * *

**A/N:** To those of you who were expecting a mushy, fluffy love scene, I'm sorry to disappoint you and will now remind you that Romance is _not_ the only theme in the story. I originally hadn't planned to end the chapter here either. So what's the deal? You'll see quite clearly in the next chapter. Don't forget to review!


	4. Chapter 3: Separation

**A/N:** Time for the next chapter, so now I can finally reveal why there wasn't a heart-to-heart in the previous one. Part of it is that this chapter is _not_ from Lyn's perspective, but Lucas'. Yes, he's reentering the story. As for the other reasons… you'll have to read on.

* * *

_Chapter 3: Separation_

"_So you think everything's better now that I'm back behind glass?_"

Again, he's mocking me. My other self. This place… the dreamscape of my house. His side still burns brightly with searing flames and is drenched with blood. My side is not longer as pristine as before, smears of red and charred wood dotting much of the walls and furnishings. Is it symbolic for how tainted I've become, how I'm slowly turning into the monster in the mirror? "Of course not…" I reply, looking at my demonic and broken-up reflection. The mirror is repaired from when it broke before, but it is cracked in several places. Staring into it to look at the other me hurts my eyes.

"_C'mon, even you have to admit it was fun while it lasted._" The vampire-like incarnation of myself sneers. "_Those three days were the best of your life._"

"That's not the point! Those people didn't have to die!" I retort, my fists shaking, and my body trembling. I feel so weak… even in the recesses of my mind, I feel like I haven't eaten or slept in weeks. I'm almost completely drained of energy. When the madness took over… it took all my willpower to regain what little control I have, and it's left me like this. Ironic that Lyn's last words to me were to rest, because I won't be able to until I can free myself from this monster. But I'm going to try.

"_Ugh, here we go again…_" the monster replies, rolling his eyes and putting his hand on his… I think it's his hip, but I can't actually see since one of the cracks in the mirror distorts that exact part of the reflection. "_They were just random people, dumbass. Bags of flesh and bone that would take your life if you didn't take theirs._"

I manage a scowl and fire back, "And how would _you_ know? We may be psychic, but we can't read minds. They might have tried to _help_ us!"

The other me laughs loudly, a howling laugh that violates my ears. "_And what good has_ that _done you lately?_" he counters. "_People have tried to protect you out of the goodness of their hearts, and they failed miserably. Lyn was the one you believed in most of all, and she couldn't even keep her promise to protect you _or _to kill you. You had to resist the urge to rip her head off when she barged in here just for breaking your trust!_" To this, I have nothing to say. She tried… she tried her best to help me, to stop me. But she couldn't… "_Accepting help is always a gamble; either it works or it doesn't. And those who _can't_ offer help just get in the way. They're better off dead and gone._"

"No… I don't believe that!" I shout at him. "Shut up… just shut up!"

"_I won't!_" he snaps back at me, very uncharacteristic of his normally sarcastic personality. "_Not until you accept what you know is true!_"

0000000000

My eyes snap open in the real world. Conscious slowly recovers, and at first the only think I'm aware of is that I'm _frustrated_. Damn the other me, filling my head with such lies! I was always taught by Mom "never to take candy from strangers," but to _kill_ them for simply _being there_? That's not right…

Mom… I'm painfully reminded of what happened back in the cave. She was so close… she was there, _alive_… but possessed by some kind of demon. And then she was gone… where could she be now? Where is _anyone_ now? The Smashers never came back, Mom and… and Princia could be anywhere now… and Lyn…

As if responding to the immediate thought, I become aware of something prodding against my left side. I will myself to sit up in the bed, careful not to disturb whatever it might be. Finally… I'm back in control of my own actions.

At least for now…

Blast it all, leave me alone! I look down at what's touching me… and I see her. All that illuminates this… medical ward from the looks of it – why am I not surprised – is a tiny kerosene lamp in the nearest corner of the room, but I would always be able to recognize Lyn. She's sitting on an oaken chair, her head resting on the bed beside me… she must've stayed with me the whole time I was asleep. I brush some hair away from her face so I can see her… she's sleeping peacefully. She looks so serene when she sleeps…

And so fragile. Not too surprising since she was too weak to help me.

I violently shake my head, grasping my forehead to try and suppress the headache forming from my mental struggle. How dare you call her weak! She is stronger than I could ever hope to be?

Then why couldn't she strike me down when she had the chance, when she promised she would?

I growl lowly, my anger very evident, but I'm trying not to wake Lyn up. Even so, I don't have a response…

I might as well just get rid of her now. She's no use to me. I can just imagine the blood spilling out of her beautiful corp—

"_Shut_. _Up_." I mutter as quietly but as darkly as I can manage, banishing the terrible thought from my mind without hesitation. There are very few things that can really make me angry in this life, and the thought of hurting Lyn is one of them. But… I fully tried to before. When I was consumed by the madness… it was as if I didn't even recognize her. I attacked without any hesitation, any remorse. If she were weaker, she would've surely died… strong enough to survive, but not strong enough to fix the problem entirely… as much as it tears at every moral fiber in my body to admit it, the other was right about one thing in that pool of lies: asking for help may or may not turn out the way you want it to. Lyn was left with no choice but to impale herself on her katana in order to save her friends, and when she had to stop me… she couldn't finish the job. Thinking about it now… despite the best efforts of friends new and old, none of them had managed to stop Shadow's plan. None of them stopped the madness… if only I'd just _left_ the Smashers, left for a place where no one would find me, so that I could deal with the problem myself and not have anyone I care about get hurt...

"_You're an emotional crutch to him. He uses you to help work through his madness."_

Shadow's words to Lyn in the cave enter my mind then, as I happen upon a revelation that leaves me breathless. I've been relying on Lyn to see me through this… no, not just Lyn, everyone I know, and they've tried their best. But… what about _my own_ power? All I've ever done is ask others for help… never once in this entire ordeal did I try to solve the problem with my own power. I… I don't think I've _ever_ tried to do anything alone… I've become so dependent on others…

My own power…

It was so blatantly obvious that I don't know why I hadn't thought about it before. It's good that everyone is trying to help me but… it's _my_ problem. It's _my_ mind. _I_ should be the one trying to fix it! And all this time I've been asking everyone I can get my hands on… that was the answer. I have to stand up on my own two feet. I can't rely on Lyn, Princia or the Smashers for this. _I'm_ the only one who can truly defeat the madness in my mind! Why didn't I realize this sooner! And that answer also hits me like a ton of bricks: every time I was in danger, there was always someone there. _Always_, from the day I was born to the present time when I lay in this bed. Even when my Father searched through the mountains for three years straight to find my Brother, he hadn't forgotten about me and constantly checked up on me. I've never actually had to _fend for myself_… to deny help and go it alone never crossed my mind.

That stops here and now.

To conquer my madness is something only _I_ can do. And to not endanger anyone else with this, I must do it _alone_… with great sorrow, I look down to the sleeping Lyn, my closest friend for over six months… to do this alone would mean to leave her, so soon after she found me… she must be so happy now, knowing that I have the ability to get through this, wanting to help me every step of the way. But she can't… not only does she not have the means to help me, but I can't put her in that kind of danger. That's exactly what I'm hoping to avoid. Reluctance and rage burn through me. This is going to break her heart, leaving her behind like this. But I don't have a choice…

There's also the matter of her being too weak to help me even if she could.

I wince; only too much would I like to argue against that statement, but instead I find myself believing it. The whole reason I asked Lyn to protect me, or stop me if necessary, is because I believed she was strong enough to get through it. But… she couldn't do either. She couldn't conquer her conscience and finish me off, ending this torment. She _is_ strong, I have no doubt about that, but… I'm not so sure if she's as strong as I hoped anymore. Lyn has indeed put my trust in her in question... how can I ask her to help me shoulder this burden if I don't even trust her? And if I don't trust her, I might wind up hurting her… or worse…

It was settled. I had to leave. Without anyone following, without anyone knowing. They can't know that I'm trying to leave… but where would I go? I don't know where the Smashers are, where Princia is or where Mom is… I have no destination. And going to a random world was what set this disaster in motion to begin with, I can't do that again. Then where can I go…?

"_I'm not sure myself... but I heard from Lord Eliwood that it was a woman with green hair who saved my life. I think it might have been the Goddess Palutena."_

Of course… Palutena. I owe her much for saving Lyn's life… and… that would mean that she was there at the cave. I wonder… would she know where everyone had gone? And is she really trying to help us, in spite of everything Shadow told us? To answer these questions would be a nice start to this long journey. Now my destination is clear: I would go to Angel Land where she rules and track her down.

But first, I would need to explain my intentions to Lyn… but how would I do that? If I wake her up, she'd never allow me to leave… and how would I tell her without hurting her? …No, I don't think it _is_ possible to tell her without hurting her… there were so many things I'd wanted to say when she was in my mind, but I was so busy trying to hold back my inner demons that I was afraid to say anything…

Looking around the room, I find the solution to my dilemma: a set of ink, a bird's quill and a notepad, one on every desk beside the beds. Of course… I can leave her a note for her to read, and convey the situation to her that way. It wouldn't have any less of an impact on her heart, but… there's no getting around that either way. I shift my body to face the nearest table, careful not to disturb the mattress and wake Lyn, then dip the quill in ink and get writing.

_To Lyn:_

_By the time you receive this note, I will be gone. I understand that it must break your heart for me to leave unannounced like this, and I am so terribly sorry for it, but I believe it is necessary. I know you're trying to help me as much as you can and I am very grateful, but I have to confess that your inability to stop me has shaken my trust in you. But it also helped me realize that while everyone is trying to help me, the problem is mine. It's my mind, and I must be the one to repair it. Shadow was right when he said I used you as an emotional crutch, and whether you mind it or not, it needs to stop. I don't ever want to lose control like that again, I have to be strong enough to stop it on my own. I wish you could come with me, but I do not want to endanger you, so please do not pursue me. I hope that once my mind is sound and I am back to my old self, that we will meet again someday. Until then, stay well._

_Your best friend forever,  
Lucas_

I think it's quite good for my first attempt at writing with such ancient tools. I sigh as I finish, saddened and maddened that I can't do this any other way. I can't prevent a couple of my teardrops from hitting blank areas on the paper… I know we're going to miss each other dearly.

I leave the note by her head and touch her one last time, squeezing her hand as if to reassure her – and myself – that I'll see her again someday. "Good bye…" I mutter. As I quietly get up and sneak over to the exit of the medical ward, ignoring the feeling of cold stone against bare feet, I take one last look back at her before leaving…

Words could never describe how sorry I am…

0000000000

It was a stroke of good luck that I already know my way around Castle Caelin. It was on a whim that Lyn asked me if I wanted to see her world, and I readily agreed. I've memorized enough of the castle on that trip and two other trips to know my way to the transportation system. It was that first trip that also made me tell Lyn of my dark past… when she asked to see my world. It was horrible having to relive it all so that I could explain it to her… and then she told me about how her own parents died. It was a solemn moment, but it helped us to grow closer.

I can already tell that I'm going to do a lot of reminiscing… I'm already missing Lyn.

The white light of the transportation fades… and I find myself standing on the machine. For a frightening moment I fear that the system malfunctioned, but after I look at my surroundings I see that it is not the case. Castle Caelin's transportation system was in a plain, square room, whereas the one I'm standing on is situation in a much more elegant place. Three stone walls form a cubicle-like room, with each corner occupied by a golden column with intricate designs at both the top and the bottom. At its exit, two pink curtains with golden rungs hang from a silver support beam.

I peek through the curtains in case someone is there… when I see no one, I step out and take in my surroundings. It looks like I've already entered the palace where Palutena resides… or at least the entrance hall, which on its own could hold at least ten of my houses if correctly arranged. The floor is black and reflective of the moonlight, golden-railed stairwells circle around the back ends of the room to the top where a massive green door sits, and massive, blue curtains hung from the tall, grey ceiling bare a symbol that looks somewhat like the Sun. That symbol is vaguely familiar to me… I believe I've seen Palutena wearing it. Wasn't it her golden necklace? I hadn't paid enough attention to her to know for sure, any time I've seen her is when Pit does his Final Smash in an exhibition match, at which point my focus would be on – usually failing to – avoid all of those angel knights. So this is the place that Pit calls home…

But there is one thing that does not fit with this scene: a statue in the middle of the room, most likely resembling Palutena herself… only I can't tell for sure because it's _smashed to pieces_. The sight of destruction in this empty hall makes me wary, but only the echo of my bare feet smacking against the floor as I walk greets me as I make my way to the stairs, guessing that the large doors lead to the throne room. I can see the beige clouds that Angel Land is situated on through the massive windows, and I can feel a calm breeze of warm air flowing through them as I move past them. I suppose it's a good thing that it's warm, due to me being in my boxers only… I wish I could've asked for clothes back at Caelin. Oh well, maybe Palutena can help me with that too.

When I come up to the huge green doors, I see that they are already slightly parted enough for a person just a little over my size to get through cleanly. It's such a slight opening that I couldn't tell it was even open from the other side of the hall, despite the size of the doors; that's how big this place is. The inside of the throne room is no less impressive in space, but it's a lot darker. The only source of light that I can see is a large, golden bowl-thing in the centre of the room, lighting the floor and the pillars with a shimmering dark blue, but not the walls. To the left of that bowl is another set of stairs, but these are much different; they are white and have no railings, or _anything _holding them up. They're just floating there, curving into the wall, stopping in between two very tall torches that look like elongated Rook pieces from a Chess set. To the right of the bowl, a plush-looking carpet with numerous, unidentifiable symbols stretches all the way to the other end of the room, which is a long way. I suppose that is where I should expect to see the throne…

"Hmm… you're not one of Palutena's angels…"

…I instead find a person. A person who is most definitely _not_ who I'm looking for, if that fact weren't given away by what she just said, then from the creepy vibe I get from her. Palutena's presence is one of authority but gentleness… this one gives me fear and dread. It is a woman who appears to be in her late forties or fifties in age, wearing an eastern-style dress that is mostly purple but silky white where the left arm goes out of, the colours separated by a golden weave with intricate designs stitched into it with black. Three red laces tie a sun-like symbol – not to be confused with the ones from before, _this_ one is hollow – to serve as a belt. And that's the only thing I would say that's "normal" about her. Her skin is a purple so pale I can barely recognize the hue, and there is some kind of tattoo similar to the dress markings on the left side of her face, going above and below the eye. Those eyes are black, thin and piercing. But strangest and perhaps most unsettling of all is her hair; half of it is a huge mess of disheveled dark purple, while the other half seems to be composed of snakes. Yes, _snakes_, green scales and all. In her left hand is a long, golden staff with a hollow, rung-like end that is painted so much like the body of a large cobra, I would almost swear it was made it a cobra's body.

Slowly, this demonic woman walks closer to me. "The palace is so devoid of its usual life… ironic that I should find it in the form of a regular child." She's inspecting me with those cold eyes… like she's gazing right into my soul. It makes me very uncomfortable, looked down upon by such evil eyes. "Tell me… what business do you have here?"

I didn't even need to use my PSI to feel her emotions, I can tell just by being around this woman that she is untrustworthy. I don't plan on telling her anything until I know who she is. "Depends on who's asking." I reply.

She raises an amused eyebrow, though my eyes are more drawn to the snakes on her head. Something about their seamless, unimpeded movement is… hypnotic. "Ahh… the boy has an attitude. Though I suppose it _is_ rather rude of me not to introduce myself... you may address me as the Queen of Darkness, Medusa."

My eyes go wide; I've heard that name from Pit. Medusa, the Queen of Darkness… I really should've caught it when I saw the hair-snakes. Pit told me that she once led her armies from the Underworld up to Angel Land to conquer it, and succeeded. She was even able to overthrow Palutena somehow. It was only after Pit broke free of his prison in the Underworld could he come to the rescue and defeat Medusa. And yet she's standing in front of me now, in Palutena's own home… something is obviously very wrong. "You… I should be asking what _you're_ doing here! Where is Palutena!" I shout at her, demanding an answer. I am in no mood for this level of inconvenience right now.

This time, she is taken slightly aback by my response. "So you know of the Goddess of Light… that could make things… difficult…" she says in contemplation… but I can pick up a clearly mischievous undertone as she says that last word. I must be careful what I say and do around her; she once bested a Goddess after all. "However, I was kind enough to give you my name and title, and I think you should do the same."

Well, that was only fair… "My name is Lucas. I'm a member of…" I stop myself, that title no longer applies to me. "Erm… a _former_ member of the Super Smash Brothers Organization."

"Ahh… a Smasher, is it? I'm quite familiar with the term." Medusa replied, her hand to her chin as she starting walking towards me. I don't feel any hostile intent from her, but I keep my guard up and my mind ready just in case. "And you say you come here in search of Palutena… that is unfortunate. I was hoping that _you_ might know where she is."

"That _I'd_ know?" I ask, eyeing her warily as she walks beside me, circling me… her stare is making me uncomfortable.

Then I should gouge her eyes out.

I only barely ignore that menacing voice in my head while I try to decipher her words. "You mean you don't know where she is either?"

"Unfortunately so, my little friend." Medusa confirms. "She has been gone from her home for nearly four days now, and as I'm sure you've seen, there's not a knight or civilian to be found." That would explain why the palace is so empty… "To leave for so long is unlike her. Except for the briefest of visits to her beloved Guard Captain, she would never abandon her people so… and yet even they have disappeared."

I'll bet she's the one who made it happen, she's lying.

No… I don't know that for sure yet. And right now, she isn't the enemy. We're just talking.

Since when has that ever stopped me?

Damnit, stop it! I grasp my aching head, my world spinning as I become very disoriented. No… I won't lose control now! There's no reason to hurt her yet! "Hm? Is something the matter?" Medusa asks me, her voice flat as ever, devoid of any concern.

"I-It's nothing… I'm fine." I tell her even though it's a complete lie, but so help me I'm going to fight this until it isn't a lie.

Blasphemy. My whole life has been nothing _but_ a lie.

_Shut up_! Blast it all, I'll ask if it'll silence this damned voice in my head! "Medusa… was this disappearance your doing?"

"_My_ doing!" she roared and turned to face me directly, clearly offended. The snakes on her head hiss at me angrily. "I just told you that I've been looking for answers to her disappearance! Why would I be looking for Palutena if I already knew where she was?"

Her anger is something I hadn't wanted to provoke. I back off in fright, but quickly remind myself that it was to get an answer, not to prod her into a fight. I try as hard as I can to regain my composure and apologize to her, "Okay, Okay, I'm sorry… it's just… I don't know you, only that you hate Palutena…"

Medusa's expression softened, if only slightly. She still looks very annoyed, her mouth in a thin line instead of that sinister smirk. She crosses her arms and scoffs. "Hmph… yes, I do suppose you have good reason to suspect me… but I'm no liar, I promise you." The word "promise" makes my anger boil… the last time someone had promised me something, it couldn't have turned out worse. I only barely keep my anger in check as she continues to speak. "I'll admit I did have the intent to conquer Angel Land again when I realized Palutena took an extended leave, but then I realized there was nothing _to_ conquer. Her entire land is completely empty."

I have to do a double take. "Wait… _all_ of Angel Land?"

"Yes, every corner of it. Not a soul to be found that isn't yours, mine or that of my demon army."

And yet she sees fit to trespass on sacred ground while Palutena is away…

She should have her feet ripped off for it so she can't walk on anyone else's property.

I growl as quietly as I can manage, though it's a difficult task while trying to both silence the other me and to process what Medusa had told me. This was troubling indeed… why is there suddenly no trace of life here? Why has everyone vanished? Would Palutena know? And where was _she_, for that matter? "Isn't there any way to find Lady Palutena? She must know what happened."

Medusa seemed to calm down a little more, wrapped up in thought. "If only we knew what she'd been doing prior to this… maybe that would give us a clue…"

What she'd been doing before her disappearance? I knew that, Lyn told me. Palutena had been at that cave so that she could save Lyn. "She was with… a friend of mine at the time. Saving her from death…" That's all the info I'd prefer to say.

"_What_!" Medusa shrieks, suddenly sounding very critical with her mind racing. Racing with what, I can't tell. "I wonder… was she healing someone that was not of her own world?" All I can do is nod in confirmation… a split second before realization throws my whole mind for a loop.

"_Thus__, they were made to swear an oath for their powers. There's four simple rules to it: the first is to never set foot in another's world without the owner's permission. Second, never _manipulate_ anything from another's world without the owner's permission. Third, never involve yourself in another God's issues. And fourth, the most important one to them... never willingly reveal yourself to a mortal, which is what they call their living creations, or… _reveal the existence of another God to mortals_."_

Going to a world that wasn't her own, and saving Lyn's life… if this is true, then Palutena had broken two out of the four laws of the oath. Lyn didn't tell me this… no, it wasn't important at the time… the focus was on the two of us, I was satisfied simply knowing how she was still alive. But now…

"To manipulate the life of a mortal not of her own creation…" Medusa mutters. "So that's why Palutena has disappeared. If she is not hiding, then she is being punished for violating the oath."

"Punished… how?" I ask, and immediately regret it. I still remember vividly the spectacular scene when my own god, the Dragon of Darkness, was punished for breaking the oath. To be knocked out of the sky and encased in the very land it trespassed on… and then dropped on the Smash Manor.

Medusa shrugs her shoulders slightly and replies, "Who's to say? The Gods are whimsical at times…" She then chuckles, having regained her own composure. "I always told Palutena that her generosity would be her undoing…"

I bite my lip. This "Queen of Darkness" talks much like Shadow… and that's when I realize something very odd about this conversation. "Wait a minute… you know about the oath?" I ask her.

For the first time, she looks at me with complete surprise. "And you as well?"

Immediately I become concerned. For someone who can best a Goddess to know about the oath… could she be… "Are you… one of them?"

"Oh no, I'm not." Medusa replies quickly. "I only came to learn about it because my rivalry with Palutena. To challenge an enemy so powerful means knowing a fair deal about it."

I had to admit, there was some sense in that. I feel very relieved now… if this woman were actually a God, and I had dared to anger her, it could have been the end of me… it would be a sad end to this adventure, to be utterly destroyed just as it started. "I guess you're right…" I admit. "But anyway… that doesn't help us much. How would we know where Palutena would hide from people that know all and see all? And if she's being punished… where would they keep her?"

"You don't mean to say you still intend to search for her?" Medusa asks me incredulously. "You would dare to defy not just one God, but _all_ of them?"

The nature of the question makes me take a moment to find my inner rage. "You'd better believe I do!" I growl back. Her eyes go wide at my response. I look to the ground and continue. "I've been double-crossed by them before… let's just say I'm not taking any more of their crap."

I hear Medusa sigh. "A grudge against the divine… and I thought I was the only one with such thoughts." she laments. "And yet you would fight to save Palutena, who herself is one of them?"

"…I would." I answer her, my rage diminishing. "She saved my best friend's life, and the lives of some of my other friends at the same time. I was told that the Gods were all selfish, vengeful people… but then why would she help me?" I look back up to her. "I need to know, and at the very least, I owe her."

Medusa is silent for a moment, just staring at me… and then she laughs. Not a chuckle or a giggle, but a real, albeit short moment of laughter. "My, my… you are either very bold, or very ignorant."

Excuse me?

"Listen well, Lucas. I am only able to challenge Palutena because she is a relatively _weak_ God. There are many others out there that are much, _much_ stronger that even the likes of myself fear." Medusa explains. "If you defied them, you would surely be erased. You are best to forget about Palutena and continue on with your life."

How dare she…

How dare she talk about my life in such a way!

"Life…?" I mutter… before a low chuckle comes out of my throat that quickly erupts into loud, bellowing laughter that makes me throw my head back. "_What_ life!" I manage to choke out when I can speak again, looking straight at her again. She had moved back a step. "My God _took away_ everything that ever meant anything to me in my life! What else would I have to keep living for anyway!" The rage boiling over in me is stalled only for a brief moment as Lyn's face flashes through my mind. She's… really all I have left. And _I_ had to leave _her_. I should've realized earlier that the Gods would be a potential obstacle in this quest… but it doesn't matter. "I have nothing else to do and nowhere else to go, and I won't allow the one who saved Lyn to fall into their hands. Come hell or high water, I'm going to find her and save her."

"…So that is your decision." Medusa states, Again, she just looks at me with narrow, piercing eyes. Then she looks around the room… to the golden bowl in the middle of the room, to be exact. "I wonder…"

I become confused as she walks over to that bowl. "What is it?" I ask.

"It's only a theory, but…" Medusa begins. "Palutena and her guards would often use the waters of this reflecting pool to spy on places and people. The only stipulation is that she has the power to prevent it from locating _herself_. But…" I walk up to the bowl, barely able to see into it; it's nearly as tall as I am, about seven-eighths my height. I have to stand up on my toes to look into the shimmering waters. "It's possible, however unlikely, that if Palutena's power has been weakened, we may be able to locate her with this."

My eyes look into the water with interest. "Really?" I ask, though not really paying attention. I'm too mesmerized by the water… it isn't completely clear like it should be. The bottom of the bowl is a deep black, while the centre surface of the water in contains, and only that part, display a blank, light blue that reflects into the rest of the room, kind of like looking at a television screen from a bad angle. "How does it work?"

"You need only think of what you hope to find." Medusa explained. "Perhaps I should be the one to try, having more memories of her… not all fond memories, but memories still."

She probably has a good point there. I only remember Palutena from exhibition matches, in that same pose performing that same task. Medusa is probably much more familiar with her than I am. I watch as she stares intently into the bowl, for once relieved that her gaze isn't directed at me. When I noticed a change in colour out of the corner of my eye though, I quickly turn back to the water to see that it is changing colour from a bright blue to a bright gold. Then some green and white slowly begins to mix with the gold… I think an image is trying to form, but the image is like an unintelligible mist, only barely retaining its shape. It's like a very bad painting, outlining only the hair, which is green, and the body which is white. I can't even begin to make out anything other than that.

"Hmm… it seems her power is indeed weakened. I can't make out her form, but I can see the location." Medusa told me. "Allow me to move the visual back…"

Very slowly, the blur starts to decrease in size, allowing more misty colours into the mix. Gradually however, the colours on the outside of the blur begin to form clearer images, much clearer than I had expected. Eventually I can make out everything around the blur with ease. The blurred shape is situated on top of a wide plot of sand, which is surrounded by golden walls. Atop those walls, there appear to be… seats. Some kind of stadium? A stadium made of solid gold… she zooms out the image even further, much faster this time, until we can see what looks like a tower in its full splendor. It looks like the keep of a castle, completely silver except with four large columns of gold holding it up from four sides.

"Yes… I remember this place…" Medusa says. "This place is a nameless tower situated in one of the God's own worlds, a place normally unreachable by mortals. It was here that Palutena held me for trial the first time I bested her…" She cracks a smile. "And to think that I never believed in karma."

Normally unreachable by mortals… "Unreachable… that was before Master Hand created the transportation system." I say, not quite certain, but hoping it would do the job. "Is there any place close to this tower that you know the name of?"

"Unfortunately, I'm afraid not." Medusa says, shaking her head. "I only know it as a 'Divine Realm.'"

"Well… that's something at least." I reply.

"What do you plan to do with such knowledge?" Medusa asks me. "Do you have a way to travel to other worlds by name?"

Odd… I would expect someone who knows Palutena as well as she does, as well as the oath, to know about the transportation system. "Well, actually…"

0000000000

"How was I not aware that Palutena's palace housed this machine!" Medusa shrieks in surprise, obviously very surprised at the large transportation system sitting in a small, square room connected to the main hall of the palace. Even the snakes on her head appeared surprised… I can't help but be amused at her reaction.

"That's what I was about ask you." I reply, turning the terminal on. "This is how the Smashers go to other worlds. It can send us almost anywhere in the multiverse."

Medusa scoffs. "'Almost?' What makes you certain that you will be able to enter a Divine Realm with this machine then?" she asks.

Of course she had to ask that. "To be honest, absolutely nothing. I'm just hoping I get lucky." As I finish speaking, the terminal has finished booting up. Quickly I type in "tower" and "divine realm" into the search bar, not really expecting a result, but hoping for one at least…

What appears as the search results was not what I had expected at all.

"Are you kidding me?" I ask the inanimate machine as I see the result number: a flat fifty. I click on the first one, and I see the silhouette of what looks like a tower that easily scrapes the sky, and then some. I click the next one on the list, and it provides an image of a tower much shorter but with a very elegant-looking arch at the top. "The search came back with fifty different results!"

"That many?" Medusa asked, clearly surprised. "I had expected this machine to detect not one of the Divine Realms. What could this 'Master Hand' have wanted to make this possible for?"

"I wish I knew…" I state sourly as I continue browsing through the results, looking for the silhouette of that tower I saw in the reflecting pool. "Master Hand had all sorts of secrets that I wanted to find out, and now I'll never know… thanks a lot, Dragon of Darkness…"

"Dragon of Darkness…" Medusa mutters. "How did you come to know of that God?"

I groan in remembrance. "How could I not? He's _mine_."

I hear Medusa hiss behind me. Much like a snake, unsurprisingly. "Aha… I don't think I'll inquire any further into that." Her decision is probably wise… my past with the Dragon of Darkness is exactly why I have such a hatred of divine beings now—

My thoughts are interrupted when I finally find what I'm searching for on the terminal. "There it is!" I exclaim, recognizing perfectly the shape of the tower that I saw in the magical waters when I select the thirteenth result. Maybe my luck hasn't run out just yet. Medusa leans her head in to take a closer look.

"Indeed… I would never forget that place. That is where Palutena resides." she confirms for me. The tower also appears to be quite tall, though not as tall as the first. "You must know that if Palutena is captured and not hiding, that she will be guarded. You will be marching into the territory of the Gods, and they may even be one there personally watching over her." She looks at me. "Are you still certain you want to go?"

Being guarded by one of the Gods themselves… I hadn't actually considered that. But my decision hasn't changed. Even if I hadn't wanted to save her out of the goodness of my heart – or whatever's left of it – she still has answers I want. "I do. I won't let them have their way with me anymore." I answer, before putting in the terminal commands to activate the system. I waste little time hopping onto the white platform before it rises, and the large, black rings at its base start to spin around it and me.

Medusa steps in front of it with her arms, crossed, looking at me with a toothy grin. "You are either the bravest or the most idiotic human being I've met. Your trials are some I will most definitely be observing."

I scoff and reply, "Go right ahead. I'm used to being watched." Soon the world begins to grow hazy around me, before I see nothing but white…

So, there's no turning back now. I'm going to one of the places that the Gods themselves call home, where they would imprison and perhaps even judge those who defy their laws…

It's about time I let them know what I think about their damned laws, anyway.

* * *

**A/N:** And there's the other reason for the lack of fluff: Lucas was _leaving_. If you feared your own power so much that you thought you might hurt those you care about, you probably would too.

And he's going on the hunt straight out of the gate no less, right into potentially hostile territory. Will he succeed in saving Lyn's savior, or is he getting in way over his head? I'm quite looking forward to writing the next chapter.


	5. Chapter 4: Defiant

**A/N:** I wish this update had come out faster… I had to go home for Christmas.

You should know vaguely what to expect from this chapter, so I won't make you wait any longer.

* * *

_Chapter 4: Defiant_

Here I am, at the doorstep of the Gods… or at least one of them.

It's amazing that a God would want to create or claim a place so… barren. This tower is like a shining jewel in a pile of nothing special, the sole object I see in this area: a vast, seemingly endless plain of sand. There are no mountains on the horizon, there are no animals roaming the beige powder, there isn't even a single cactus growing. Save for the tower, it's an entirely flat desert valley. At least in the Desert of Death back home, you could tell where you were going. This place didn't even have that… I could search for any other sign of life in this place and never find my way back here for an eternity, or until I die. Probably the latter.

I am immediately assaulted by the intense desert heat when I set foot in this place, and the sands below my bare feet feel even hotter. Standing in blistering sunlight without water or clothing is just asking for sunstroke. Not at all comfortable outside, I waste little time walking towards the tower. It looks even more impressive when I'm actually looking at it instead of its image, or at least what I can see of it without the reflecting sunlight hurting my eyes. The silver centre surrounded by four golden columns, stretching and bending into a gradually wider shape as it gets taller, like a giant chalice. It isn't nearly as big as the Empire Porky Building, maybe about one-quarter of its height. But twenty-five floors worth is still quite tall… I'll have my work cut out for me in reaching the top, where Palutena awaits. I still don't know whether or not she's hiding here or being held here… either way, I must be cautious. While stepping into the realm of the Gods was my only move, it is a very dangerous one.

Entering the gaping doorway of the tower, I'm hoping that it will be cooler inside. It is, but not nearly by enough; even though only miniscule amounts of sunlight shine through tiny slits that serve as windows, the heat in here is sweltering. It's going to be a tough trip to the top, but I'm sure I can manage. The first room, the entrance hall from what I can gather, is decorated like a place royals would live in. At the far end from the entrance, there is a large statue leaning against the wall. The bottom half is silver, looking like the lower body of a bird, legs and tail serving as support beams as the wings curve upwards into a half circle. The top half, held in place by the wings, is a golden collection of three triangles that seem to be holding each other up. The hall seems to be at least twenty feet high, and this statue takes roughly fifteen feet of that vertical space. Hanging from the ceiling are long, red curtains with golden trim that bear the image of the statue, also in gold.

A few feet from either end of the hall's centre, there are suits of armor so large, the wearer would essentially be a living tank. Provided they could even move in something so large, of course; every inch of the armor, from the toes to the fingers, looks to be at least two inches thick. The helmet, with five holes aligned in a star shape for viewing, looks just as heavy with the large horns on top of it. These are roughly three times my size. Held firmly in its gauntlets is a double-sided axe that is nearly as big as the suit of armor itself, and is probably as vicious at it looks. One armor is mostly silver in colour, while the other is mostly black; certain pieces like the boots and the gauntlets are golden on both. I'd bet even Ganondorf or that "Murdock" guy would have problems moving around in these. It's terrifying and exciting trying to imagine what warriors could have used these.

On the far left and far right of the main hall, I find what I'm searching for: stairwells. As far as I can tell both of them lead upwards, so I just head to the right. The warm stone floor beneath my feet is not a nice feeling, but it beats walking around in the sand out there…

_Clink_.

I spin to face backward with a pulse of PK Love sparking on my fingertips… but only find myself staring at the inanimate black suit of armor. I release a sigh to try and calm myself down, not seeing any imminent danger. But I was _sure_ I heard something… and yet I don't see what could've made a noise in here though other than myself, being the only living thing in the room. Maybe I'm just paranoid… I turn around and continue walking towards the stairs.

That's when I find the source of the noise, when suddenly a shimmering material blocks the door and slams the floor in denial of my entry. Steel bars, half an inch wide, hidden within the doorframe. How were these triggered? No matter… I know how to deal with stubborn metal obstructions.

But I don't get the time to put my fire and ice trick into action, because I hear the sound of metal grinding against metal from behind me. I look back just in time to see _the black suit of armor moving_! I quickly leap to the left side before its massive axe cleaves me in half. I can feel the force of the impact through the air as it slams into the floor… even if I'd had a PK Shield up, I think that might've went right through it _and_ me with its weight alone.

The silver suit of armor has also begun to move, metal-clad arms flexing with its axe, while the black one hefts its own axe out of the new wedge in the ground, grunting in effort and annoyance. I don't believe it… there are people capable of moving these piles of scrap! Damn… I knew I'd have to expect resistance, but against such warriors?

Oh, what does it matter? They're causing me problems and might as well die.

Argh! I've lost my grip on my other self in my panic! Though he poses a good point… I'll hardly be able to work around the locked doors – a cursory glance to the other stairwell and the entrance shows me that they have also been barred up – so there's little else I can do. No escape, no means to proceed…

Then let all hell break loose!

There was no reason to hold back on these two, not after so blatantly trying to kill me. I'll just blast the crap out of them. Regenerating that spark of PK Love earlier, I hold it above my head and let it form into that hexagonal shape I know and love, no pun intended, before unleashing the attack on them both in a wide spread. I can't quite see the result yet, but I can tell from the explosions of green light that I'm hitting my targets. It's a bad sign that the explosions are gradually getting closer to me though, and I quickly cease the attack and back off. The hulking enemies within those armors don't even seem to have been slowed down – though that's not saying much, they still walk quite slow – holding their broad axes in front of them to defend from the direct hits of PK Love.

The guards twirl their axes in a fashion no man should have the strength or precision to, moving in perfect unison with each other as they hold them up and try to bring them down on me again; while heavy, the reach of the axes is deceptively large. I jump backward before I lose my arms, then retaliate with two quick blasts of PK Fire aimed directly at their heads. Their helmets are blown clean off...

Where are their heads?

The black one bends down, preparing a horizontal swing this time… and allowing me to see inside of the armor.

Empty.

I barely have time to move as I'm overcome by surprise, jumping over the axe in the nick of time and then having to avoid the nimble gauntlet of the white armor. These things are both empty… possessed suits of armor! I've seen this before in Castle Osohe back at the Nowhere Islands; while not as dangerous or strong, the ghosts of the castle would sometimes take control of the otherwise inanimate suits of armor there. These are just the same…

With no blood to spill…

I can feel my dormant rage breaking loose. These enemies weren't even _real_. Just cheap imitations so that those controlling them wouldn't get their hands dirty. If this is the work of a God, then that God is a filthy coward! And it makes this much more difficult. Suits of armor on their own aren't limited by the form of a person wearing them, giving them more strength and dexterity. There are no vital spots to aim for either. The only way to fight something like this is to hit it until it breaks... but how would I do that? The flame-freeze trick isn't meant to be used on a moving target, and no attack in my arsenal can break apart two inches of solid steel on its own. Hell, PK Love hardly dented the sections of armor it hit. I need something stronger, heavier…

Heavy… like a statue.

I regard the huge bird-and-triangle statue at the far end of the room once again… silver and gold can be very heavy when refined. I just need to get these two scrap piles into the right spot. I run around the armors to the centre of the room, working out the angles in my head, stepping into the right spot… and then I taunt the two suits of armor. "Come on! You two are so slow, a _turtle_ would beat you in a race!"

They start walking towards me, but their pace hasn't quickened at all… I don't feel any anger from them either. Not a single sign of intelligence to my insult. Whatever is controlling these things isn't only non-living, but I don't think they can hear or understand me. In any case, they're getting closer. Closer, closer…

Perfect.

I feint a PK Love pointed at them, before I whip the hand backwards and send it at the front legs of the statue. It can only be the front legs, or this won't work. I hear the other, sturdy legs crashing and bending in protest of the loss of their partners. Thinking they still have heads, the suits of armor bend backwards as if looking up, as do I to see the bird-and-triangle statue closing in on us all, threatening to flatten us… or rather _them_. They hold their axes up to try and catch it, apparently aware that they're too slow to avoid it. But it's a futile gesture. Weight and gravity win the battle, crashing into the suits of armor, knocking pieces of them in all directions… including at me; I barely have the time to throw up a PK Shield to stop a stray piece of shoulder plating, a wall of yellow hexagons flaring with sparks as it bounces off of the impact point. Nothing compared to the loud _crash_ and tremor caused by the falling statue… which made me lose my balance and fall on my bottom. The rush of hot air isn't comfortable either, and the noise of the impact is deafening… but it's all bearable.

Just as planned… well, almost. The suits of armor are no more, crushed and scattered by the statue, while I stand perfectly fine _in the middle of the three golden triangles_, just not as gracefully as I'd hoped. It was a grizzly end to the enemy, for sure…

Too bad they weren't real people. They would be nothing but smears.

"Oh, shut up, you sadist." I say to myself. "You wouldn't be able to see them anyway with the statue flat against the floor like that."

Lame… oh well, they got what they deserved anyway.

I shake my head in frustration and prepare to handle the other problem: the bars on the doors… but they are gone. I could just be seeing things from this distance, but I don't think so. I'm climb out of the hole in the statue's triangles and head back for the right-side doorway, and the iron bars that blocked entry are gone now, retracted back up into the doorframe. How did this happen? Pleased, but nonetheless suspicious, I head through the door and begin the long climb up the spiral staircase. There sure are a lot…

0000000000

Haven't the Gods ever heard of elevators! Two-hundred steps later – yes, I counted – I'd only reached the second actual floor of this place. And to get to the top required that I take twice as many more… fortunately though, the only problem was my legs feeling so tired from the climb. I've now reached the top without any more incidents… at least I think it's the top since I see daylight out of the next doorway. And luckily for me, I can perform instant healing and cure my legs of exhaustion. I walk out into the sands that sit atop the tower… not at all pleased to be in the sun again, especially since I'm sweating from walking up that furnace of a shaft. I'm going to need a cold drink when I'm done here…

With any luck however, that won't be long, because the goal is in sight. For the first time, I see the Goddess in person… and she looks in terrible shape. The normally literally-radiant young woman that is Pit's ruler is definitely not having a good day. Palutena is kneeling in the centre of the sandy, coliseum-like rooftop of this tower, arms held up by the wrists with some kind of glowing, golden handcuffs… it doesn't appear to be attached to anything, they just hold her wrists above her in thin air. Her skin is beet red from sunburn, and her green hair is dried and disheveled. Her clothing is so dried out and ragged that its style is indistinguishable and it clings to her body, leaving little to the imagination. The only thing that looks pristine on her is the wide assortment of golden jewelry she wears, up to and including her necklace in the shape of the sun.

Has she been left here like this for the last three days? Literally left to hang out and dry… by her own kind! Eager to put an end to her suffering and to get out of this frying pan of a world, I run over to her to free her of her bonds.

**Defiant.**

A voice. So loud and so powerful, I think I feel the normally very stable tower of gold and silver rumble from the intensity. Or perhaps just the sand I'm standing on. Either way, it vibrates through my body like a heavy drum beat. I can only barely tell that the voice is female.

**Heed my warning. Trespass no further onto our native soil. Should thou not heed this warning, then thou shalt know our wrath.**

The wrath of the divine… I grit my teeth, the latent anger welling up inside of me. They're _here_. They're here, _watching me_. Probably _waiting_ for me. "So you finally show yourselves!" I shout into the air. "Let Palutena go!"

**We will not. Palutena hast violated our sacred laws. She is being punished accordingly.**

"_To hell with your laws_!" I roar in protest. "_And_ your wrath! Your stupid rules ruined my life and now endanger my friends, and I'm not going to sit and do nothing about it! Now release Palutena, or I _swear_ I will hunt you down!"

**Thine words mean naught to me. I will only heed the words of those who have the power to defend them. If so powerful thou art, then prove thine might to me now.**

"What! I have _nothing_ to prove to you!" I retort. But I learn that the God clearly disagrees when I see a set of metal bars, not unlike the ones that obstructed my path in the main hall, seal off the door on the far side of the tower roof. I look behind me to see that the door I entered through is blocked off as well.

The situation only gets worse from there when I feel that rumbling again… an explosion of sand comes up from right under Palutena and I, and I scream in surprise as I'm blasted back a good few feet and land on my back. When I sit back up to see just what happened, I can't see her silhouette in the dust cloud… but there's _something_ in there, something _huge_. Before I can make out the whole shape, what I recognize as a tail with a large, spiked end almost twice my size swings at me from the right of the thing. I scramble to my feet and leap out of the way before it strikes me. It emits a low growl.

The dust starts to clear more, and now I can better see what attacked me. There is no sign of Palutena, with this creature having erupted from the sand where she was. This thing is massive, bigger than even the Natural Killer Cyborg that Porky used to defend the 100th floor of the Empire Porky Building. It looks to be a reptile of some kind, every visible inch covered in red scales that are shaped like armor spikes but with a flat back. It has two hind legs and two front legs, both with three sharp, white claws on them. At its back is the spiked tail that nearly slammed into me, swaying back and forth. Its head is the most curious, covered with a sky-blue shell that curves at the bottom and upwards into points at either side and the middle, completely covering the forehead except for the creature's orange, glowing eyes. Its mouth is kind of small for a lizard of its size, with two protruding fangs. With heavy "_cloomphs_" in the sand as it stomps, it turns to face me directly before rearing back and then bellowing a low roar, as if challenging me. Challenging me to prove my strength to a God…

I'm going to kill this thing.

"You've gotta be kidding me." I say, feeling very irritated and very insulted. "You ask me to prove my strength to you, and you send this… _thing_ to fight me instead of _showing yourself_!"

I'm going to rip it apart.

I growl as the latent rage within me boils over, not even bothering to ignore my other self. This time, our thoughts are the same. "_Give me a goddamned break_!" I shout to the heavens.

I'll make it _bleed to death for this farce_!

The red monster rears its head back, and then charges through the sand in my direction. I jump to the right and spin around in the air as it slides to a quick stop, before firing throwing a burst of PK Love directly at it. It explodes on contact in a shower of green sparks, but that's pretty much all that happens. If the affected area was even affected at all, I can't see how; the monster's hide is a tough as it looks. It turns to face me again, apparently unfazed. It rears upwards this time, standing as tall as its front legs will allow, before lowering back to the ground abruptly and sending its tail at me. It stretches like a piece of elastic as it sails through the air, and I leap to the left to avoid it. It quickly draws the tail back from the new hole in the sand.

It starts stomping sideways now, circling me… glaring at me with a low growl. Briefly I try to feel this creature's emotions, and it seems to be… amused. Behaving like a lion playing with its food. This does not help my anger. Trying my hardest to work through my rage for a brief moment, I go through my options of how I'm going to combat this thing if I can't break through its scales. PK Fire is definitely out of the question since this thing is well-adapted to the desert climate, I'm too hot to maintain PK Freeze, and PK Ground is useless since this thing can dig through the sand with no problem… that left only one elemental-grade PSI for me to try, so I might as well go all-out with it. I imagine the skies clouding over with lightning, crashing down onto my brother's sword, then lashing out at whatever is in its path. Blowing all obstructions to ash and gore. I raise my hands to collect electricity, then throw all I can at the beast.

The lightning connects head-on with the mask the creature is wearing, and it stops prowling around. It stands there as every volt of electricity I can muster is launched at it, and I keep it up for as long as I can… which isn't very long, as a wave of exhaustion hits me. I feel all wet… I'm getting too dehydrated. Damn… has sunstroke finally set in?

To make matters worse, the monster still looks virtually unharmed. All I did was scorch parts of its mask black. It rears upwards again and I expect the tail to launch at me, but this time it doesn't stand up all the way. Instead it goes to about half-height, with its mouth wide open. A low gurgling comes out of it, and the stomach area begins to glow… that's when it occurs to me to try and launch an attack at its underbelly. Not wanting to heat the air up around me any more with electricity, I restrict myself to using PK Love and fire a small burst at it. This time something happened, but I'm not sure what; it connected and the monster quickly lowered itself back to the ground, much like a person would when punched in the gut, and it coughs a puff of fire out of its mouth. So that's what it was about to do… I'll be sure to watch out for that. Still, my attack seemed more like and irritation than an injury. Obviously brute strength alone is not going to work.

It rushes at me again, and like before I move out of the way, but not as far as I would've liked. Again, exhaustion is proving to be an issue. I need to come up with a new plan of attack fast. What have I tried so far? The hide is impervious to everything I can do, lightning and attacks to the stomach are just a nuisance… what about the mask? What if the mask is covering up a weak point! The proverbial light bulb turns on above my head, then smashes into it for my being so clueless; that _must_ be it! The mask is more than a decoration, it's made of a tough enough material to withstand a lightning strike. It's my only option as far as I can tell. I need to destroy that mask.

Praying that the mask isn't as strong as the scales, I charge up a stronger PK Love and throw it. From the shower of green sparks that results, a shard of blue flies off into the sand… there is now a large hole with cracks spanning out of it in the right – the creature's right, that is – side of the mask. Either not noticing or not caring, the creature rears backward and thrusts its tail at me again. It seems to be attacking me in a set pattern… is it? I dodge the tail and wait patiently to confirm, and indeed, the next attack is an attempt to breathe fire at me. It really is just toying with me, isn't it? I disrupt the coming fire attack like before and follow up with another blast of PK Love. I aimed for the middle, but the creature started moving again and it hit the left instead. One more blast to the middle should destroy the rest. Waiting for it to repeat its pattern, I avoid the coming charge and then the tail, letting loose another blast while its head is close the ground.

_Crack_.

The mask shatters completely, and loudly, pieces flying every which way and landing around the creature's head, which I can now see clearly. It is very lizard-like, except for the two large eyes, probably twice as large as the holes they were looking through. But what stands out more is what looks like an orange jewel embedded in the centre of its forehead. Could that be the weak point?

It's a fair bet, because now the creature is going absolutely berserk, stomping in the sand madly and roaring at me. Amusement has turned to anger in less than a few seconds. It lashes its tail at me again, this time with very little warning; the movements upward and downward were much faster this time. Furthermore it repeats the action twice over; I can barely get out of the way of them all. And even then it isn't done; it breathes fire at me, and this time I'm in no position to interrupt it. My only choice is to lay down flat in the sand, feeling the searing heat of what must be a hundred fireballs above me and the scalding heat of the sands below me. Sunstroke wears on me even more… it's getting too hard for me to ignore. I wrap myself in the blue glow of PK Healing to do away with the illness… but before I know it, the creature is standing over me, glowing eyes burning with rage. I have no time to react as it swings its large claw – which is roughly as big as I am – at me. I'm introduced to a world of pain as it collides with my side harshly, knocking the wind out of me and sending me hurtling through the air, rolling through the hot sand…

Seeing blood dripping on it…

Blood…

My blood…

It made me bleed my own blood…

My blood…

_My blood_!

_How dare it make me bleed my own blood_!

I hear it then… the sound of shattering glass in my head…

Body moving of its own will, I stand up, any exhaustion completely ignored. One of the creature's eyes narrow and the other widens, amused that I'm still standing.

Amused at me…!

And then I start chuckle. "You think… this is funny… do you?" I say shakily… before my laughter becomes a bellowing laugh, no doubt heard by all the creatures in the desert if they didn't all wither and die by now. My bones are creaking and groaning… whether it's the fatigue, the sunstroke or if I'm just laughing too hard I don't know, and I don't care. I look the creature squarely in the eyes. "_I'll _show you something funny!"

I dash at the monster, and in response it dashes at me. A game of chicken… one I'm not going to lose. During the run, I use Offense Up, ready to knock the lesson of not mocking me into its head. At the last minute before we reach each other, I jump, and slam my fist with every ounce of physical and psychokinetic power I can channel into the jewel on its head.. I hear them then, the bellows of pain that make my heart soar with joy. It can feel my arm getting crushed from the impact of hitting something so large and heavy, but I don't care. I'm making this thing feel _pain_. Now I'm going to make it feel _more_ pain!

I press both hands to the jewel as it slides to a stop, trying to shake me off, but to no avail. "I think it's funny that I'm about to _blow your head off_!" I cackle, charging up PK Love again, gripping the sides of the jewel to stay on until fully charged, and then I unleash my power. I don't even know what happened at first, the explosion having sent me tumbling through the air and back onto the sand, both searing my skin more… but who cares? My pain, their pain… its still pain. I don't care whose it is as long as I'm _part of it_.

And oh, was the creature made to feel pain, such intense pain, even if for a couple of seconds. I get up to see the damage I've done; there's a chunk missing out of its forehead where the jewel was, and a fair portion around that as well, stopping just short of the eyes. Whatever is inside of the hole is an indistinguishable mess of scales and internal organs. The body of the monster collapses with a "_floompf_," kicking up sand as it falls down and dies. I want to proclaim my victory, to throw my arms into the sky and _laugh_ at the God who dared to challenge my power, but my body refuses to… why won't it move? No, it can't be tired now… the bloodlust has just begun! More… I have to destroy more!

I think to go back over to the monster's body and explode it just for the hell of it, but before I can, it starts to turn golden-brown… like the sand. In fact, it _is_ turning into sand. Like a poorly-built sand castle, it crumbles and returns to the sands from which in came. And in their place… there is Palutena. Laying motionlessly in the sand. It's because of her that I was put through this… if she hadn't been so stupid as to get captured, I wouldn't have to come and find her! She should pay… she has to pay for this! I'll teach her not to inconvenience me with her ineptitude! I'm going to tear her apart… I'm going to… I'm…

I can't move… no… this can't be right… I'm not exhausted. I'm totally fine, damnit! I can do it… I can teach her a lesson…

Stop…

No… I won't stop! I'm strong… stronger than this godly being trying to test me! I won't fall… I'll do to Palutena what I'm going to do to her… I'll _show_ that damned God what I'll do to her…

Stop!

My body won't respond… it falls to its knees, ignoring my will. No… _why_!

I can't do this to her…

What? Why!

She helped Lyn… I won't hurt her!

My upper body collapses now, into the sand. The heat is no longer ignorable… damnit, no! Are you going to make yourself lose consciousness just so I can't kill one insignificant person!

Insignificant! She _saved_ me! Furthermore, she's the only source of information I have! She's the only one who can _help_ me!

_Help_ me! She can hardly even help _herself_! And didn't I say I was going to do this alone!

Alone…

I'm all alone…

If I kill Palutena, I'll be all alone…

No one left to kill…

Nothing left to destroy…

Just an endless desert that will boil me to death…

…The darkness… is coming…

0000000000

"Damnit! And you wonder why I'm trying to _get rid_ of you!"

My enraged tone echoes throughout my further-damaged dreamscape house. Embers of wood still burn on the walls, but are going out. The blood on the floor is enough to submerge my feet, but it is slowly draining. The cracked mirror is smeared with blood. A symbolic illustration of how I'm fighting to regain control? From the other side, the other me is uncharacteristically frowning at me, the fangs of my monster form plainly visible. _"I don't get you. Palutena might as well have gotten herself killed with her rescue mission. If she can't fight of the Gods, then what use is she to us?"_

"I don't get _you_!" I retort. "Why do you keep insisting on _using_ everyone! She still saved us and Lyn!"

_"Another useless wimp."_

"_That's not the point_!" I yell, furious at its description of Lyn. "Palutena still saved us! Doesn't that mean I should _at least_ return the favour!"

_"Maybe if you want to get yourself torn to pieces!"_ it fires back. _"You make things _worse_ for yourself by helping others! Do you really think an enemy hell-bent on ending your life will care about you _or_ the ones you want to save! This isn't the Nowhere Islands anymore, idiot! Compassion won't get you anything but an early grave; only the strong survive! Why won't you wake up and _realize this_! I promise you that your selfless behavior is going to get us _both_ killed one day soon, and I'm _not_ going to stand for it!"_

0000000000

My eyes snap open, waking up frustrated at the other me for the second time in a row. I sense a trend developing…

It isn't as long before I'm aware of my surroundings this time though, namely the uncomfortable heat that I'm laying on. I'm quick to get off of it, and quick to look around; I'm still on top of the tower… and yet despite the intense desert heat and the battle I'd just had, I feel refreshed. Why? I cursory glance at the sun's spot in the sky shows it hasn't moved much from where it was… if the sun here even moves at all. Regardless, I don't think I've been unconscious for long. Then where is this strength coming from? I look down at my hands in wonder, and see something very odd; they are glowing. Not with any influence of mine, that's for sure… this light is shiny and golden-white…

Remembering Palutena, I look to where she is supposed to be laying in the desert. She is still there… with her open hand reaching out to me, glowing with the same colour of light that my body is. Is this… some kind of healing magic?

Astonished, I use my strength to run to her, noting that her right eye is peering at me through the disheveled, green hair covering her head and laying in the sand. I'm quick to kneel at her side. "Are you alright?"

The answer is obvious when her healing hand drops to the sand limply, not immediately but eventually followed by her head. Damn… she's using her power to heal me while baking in this ridiculous heat. I don't know how much it took out of her, but at least now I can do something about it. I rest a hand on the reddened skin on her back, and she groans in pain; she's sustained some horrible sunburns, definitely not helped by her shoulder-less gown and the skin it exposes. I do what I can with PK Healing to relieve her of pain and injury, reminding myself to do a more thorough job when I get her back to Angel Land.

"Hang on, Miss Palutena." I tell her, using Offense Up to bolster my physical strength so I can carry her, flipping her over and scooping her up bridal-style. "You've been stuck out here for three whole days, I'm sure you can last a few more minutes." A dizzy groan is her reply. I waste no time heading for the exit doors… like the entry hall at the bottom of the tower, the bars have retracted after the danger had subsided. This God must like traps and puzzles or something…

**Thine power hast been proven.**

As if compelled, I stop just short of the door. The God is speaking…

**Thine ordeal is a pitiable one that I am not without sympathy for. Thusly, thou art free to take the traitor and leave as thou wish.**

I turn around and look to the sky, trying not to show my surprise… she's really letting me leave scot-free?

**However, do not mistake this sympathy as my own betrayal. I will not betray my kin. Should thou avoid erasure until our next meeting, I will do my utmost to erase thou at that time. Furthermore, my kin will not be as forgiving as I. This mercy is an act that shalt not be repeated in the future. Do not forget.**

I narrow my eyes as if staring at the God speaking to me right now. It's as if she's challenging me to stay alive until I see her again… and for my sake, for what I plan to do, I don't think there's any choice about that.

0000000000

True to the God's word, the trip down the tower was uneventful. The only obstacles were enduring the heat and navigating the long spiral staircase with Palutena in my arms, child's play compared to everything that had happened prior. It's an incredible relief when I walk through the rift left behind by the transportation system. The warm, refreshing nighttime breeze of Angel Land couldn't be more welcome.

I have to wait until the transportation system's rings stop spinning and the platform lowers before stepping off of it and into the main hall, where the applause of a solitary being awaits. Medusa is out here waiting for me. "The power of those selected by Master Hand is formidable indeed." she says, clapping her hands. "Very nicely done."

Thinking about it now, this is the first time in a long time I've been congratulated for my efforts. Ironic that it comes from a criminal, but welcome nonetheless. "Thanks… I think."

She walks up to me, looking at Palutena's withered form with a scowl. "I am disappointed in you, Palutena… I know from personal experience that you are not this weak. Why did you let them capture you?"

The Goddess in question begins to squirm in my arms, trying in vain to look up at her rival. "Until you are confronted… by so many… divine entities at once…" Her voice is raspy, barely audible between dry heaves. Her throat must be as dry as her skin if not more. I'm amazed she can speak at all. "You have… no right… to ridicule me…"

I look back to Medusa, who smiles deviously at the argument I think is quite valid. "She has a point, Miss Medusa…" I tell her, remembering vividly what I saw at the Smash Manor. "I've seen what angry Gods can do with my own eyes. With everything that happened at the time, I'm lucky to be alive."

Medusa simply shrugs and replies, "Perhaps…"

"State your… business… Queen of Darkness…" Palutena struggles to say. Still trying to appear strong when her body has been made so weak… her green hair isn't her only similarity to Lyn for sure.

Medusa's eyes widen. "_My_ business? I had thought that would be obvious." she replies, stifling a laugh. "My business is with your absence! I know you well enough to know that you would not simply abandon your beloved people for _three days_!" Her raised tone almost sounds as if she's scolding the Goddess of Light. She then looks to me, trying to calm down. "It was thanks to the graces of Lucas here that I understand how this came to be… the only question that remains is _why_."

It was as if Medusa read my mind, which might not be impossible; I don't know the Queen of Darkness very well. And this was the whole reason I came here in search of Palutena: to get answers from her. But… in this state? I don't think we should bombard her with questions, but she speaks before I can voice my opinion. "Only… theories, I am afraid…" she tells Medusa. "Theories regarding… the Defiant Eternal…"

Defiant Eternal… she must be referring to Shadow. It seemed to be an unsatisfactory answer for Medusa who, while not showing it in her expression, is deeply disturbed. "You mean to tell me that it still walks among us? Why, oh _why_ do they insist on focusing on such meaningless matters and not this infinitely more ruinous one?" she growls.

Palutena's response is stained with sorrow. "At this point… I… wonder that myself…"

A pained gasp for air follows these words, and I take it as a sign that she is no longer able to speak. I look at Medusa and plead to her, "Miss Medusa, please. We shouldn't bombard Miss Palutena with questions while she's so weak."

The snake-haired woman looks at me with rage as if she is about to say something, but she stops herself. "Yes… you are correct…" she agrees reluctantly. "Well, then… the mystery of Palutena's disappearance has been resolved, and there is no satisfaction in defeating a weakened rival… I believe my business here has concluded, so I will take my leave." I look at her with blatant surprise as she starts a slow walk towards the far end of the entrance hall, headed for the exit. Before going too far however, she turns to me and asks, "You are capable of taking care of her for the time being, are you not?"

Her question is odd… but I'm not so shocked that I can't answer it. I regain my composure and nod replying, "Y-yes, of course."

She nods as well. "Lucas. Your journey will no doubt be a perilous one. For what little it is worth coming from a Queen of Darkness, my best wishes lie with you and, should you require it, my assistance."

"Y-you'd… help me?" I ask, astonished. "Why?"

"Let it be known that I hold a great grudge against the divine, Palutena notwithstanding." Medusa explains. "Even I realize that these are dark times where us 'lesser beings' as they call us must join forces to overturn their will along with the will of the Eternal. While I still wish to make Angel Land mine, I have no desire to see it destroyed."

So that was why… "…I see." This conversation has given me an insight into the relationship between Palutena and Medusa… what if she saw the Goddess of Light as less of an enemy and more as a rival, one that she didn't think was worthy of the throne? In either event, if she has the capacity to lend me her aid in this quest, then perhaps I can trust her at least a little. If push comes to shove, I'll need all the help I can get. "Thank you."

She smiles at me, a genuine one this time, before turning and saying, "Safe journey to you, young one." She then continues on her way out.

I turn my attention back to the exhausted Palutena, who is also watching her leave. Then she looks to me, her eyes shimmering in the moonlight under her hair. "My first meeting with… one of… Master Hand's champions…" she rasps out. "I had wished… I would at least… be presentable…" She then does her best attempt at a laugh as she can in this state. A Goddess' sense of humor? Were the situation less dire, I would laugh a bit. "Thank you… for saving me…"

"Please don't strain yourself, Miss Palutena." I say to her, concerned for her health. "And don't worry about it. I should be the one thanking you, for saving Lyn…" She closes her eyes, smiling at me with some contentment. "Now… may I help you with your injuries?"

* * *

**A/N:** And so his story continues... the true journey is just beginning. The next chapter will be from Lyn's perspective, where we'll see her reaction to Lucas' disappearance.

P.S.: Anyone here who has played a Legend of Zelda game should have a good idea of the owner of the tower. What might be more obscure though is the monster that Lucas fought, also from that fandom. Kudos to the reviewer who can name it.


	6. Chapter 5: Mission

**A/N:** Chapter five. Let's see how Lyn copes with Lucas' exodus… as well as some other revelations.

* * *

_Chapter 5: Mission_

_To Lyn:_

_By the time you receive this note, I will be gone. I understand that it must break your heart for me to leave unannounced like this, and I am so terribly sorry for it, but I believe it is necessary. I know you're trying to help me as much as you can and I am very grateful, but I have to confess that your inability to stop me has shaken my trust in you. But it also helped me realize that while everyone is trying to help me, the problem is mine. It's my mind, and I must be the one to repair it. Shadow was right when he said I used you as an emotional crutch, and whether you mind it or not, it needs to stop. I don't ever want to lose control like that again, I have to be strong enough to stop it on my own. I wish you could come with me, but I do not want to endanger you, so please do not pursue me. I hope that once my mind is sound and I am back to my old self, that we will meet again someday. Until then, stay well._

_Your best friend forever,  
Lucas_

It's been half an hour since I awoke, and for that half hour I've done nothing but read this letter over and over again. Reading it over and over again and crying.

I guess I… don't know how to feel. The whirlwind of emotion must be so intense that Paula would have to hold a full therapy session to unravel it all. I feel lonely because he's gone. I feel sorrow because he's lost his trust in me. I feel angry because he didn't tell me this to my face. And yet at the same time, I feel happy that he's finally realizing the nature of the problem and taking steps to combat it.

I just wish it didn't mean he had to _leave_! Right after I found him, no less!

I think most of all, I'm afraid. Afraid for Lucas... I'm certain he would've convinced me that this was for the best after knocking the point into my stubborn head, because from what I can see there's no fault in his logic. But why _now_? Why did this have to happen now, when the Gods are hunting us? And what of his current state of mind, how will he cope with being alone with no one to help him in his struggle? I only hope he understands the risks he's taking on. The danger he could be facing, the pain he could be feeling... to imagine it is more than I can bare...

Even then, I can't help but wonder the sorrow he felt when he wrote this letter I hold in my hand now. The water that stains the blank bottom of the page... teardrops. I only know this because my own tears have joined them... I can only hope that this isn't eating away at him like it is me...

Please be safe, Lucas... for the sake of us both...

I hear the echoing of footsteps in the room... several footsteps. I slowly look up from the letter to see who has entered the room: Grandfather, flanked on either side by Kent and Sain, at least until forced to move in single file when they have to navigate around the beds. "Oh no..." the Marquess says, everyone's pace quickening when they realize the bed I'm leaning on is vacant. Crowded around me at either side, I don't need to be psychic to know that everyone is deeply concerned. "Lyndis, are you alright? Where is Lucas?" he asks me, hand on my shoulder and looking at me worriedly.

I'm unable to answer him verbally, too distraught to do anything but lower my head and sob. I feel him tug on the letter in my hand, and I simply let go so he can see; I'm in no mood to explain. I hear the three of them pass the letter amongst each other.

"Would either of you care to explain how this child escaped a castle full of armed guards without being so much as _seen_?" Grandfather questions the two knights, undoubtedly angry. They give no answer. "Sain, Kent, check the logs on the transportation system. If he hasn't left this world, organize scouting parties; I want every square _inch_ of Caelin searched as soon as possible."

"Yes, Milord!" They reply in unison, promptly jogging out of the hospital wing as quickly as they can.

Grandfather addresses me next, kneeling at my side with a hand squeezing my shoulder. "My Granddaughter... are you going to be alright?"

I look at him, my eyes itchy and cheeks flushed from crying for the last little while. His expression is solemn, pitying. "I... I don't know, Grandfather... I really... don't know..."

0000000000

It wasn't long before all of Castle Caelin was in an uproar. I don't know whether it's the potential threat he poses to our homeland, the fact that he's a friend of the Marquess' daughter or if it was just the Marquess' order, but it hadn't taken longer than twenty minutes before every guard in the castle was scouring its walls for any sign Lucas. But if I know him as well as I think I do, then he's no longer anywhere near here. As far as I know he can't ride a horse, and he never would've been able to leave Caelin without someone noticing. The only thing he could've done is leave this world through the transportation system, a case I plead to Grandfather, but he insisted on searching all the same just to be sure. Never fully admitting anything until proven... both an aspect of a ruler and an aspect of his personality that I can't help but admire, even when I disagree with him.

Many had argued that I should be resting now with everything that's happened to me physically and emotionally in the last few days, but I stubbornly refused to do so. I'm physically fine, and if I were to just lay around all day, I'm sure all I'd do is worry and cry. Lucas wouldn't want me to be so sad, and frankly neither do I. I have to stay strong, just like he's trying to, no matter how hard it is.

We were sitting down to breakfast now in the dining hall, which is what you would expect any royal dining hall to look like: a wide corridor of a room with an almost absurdly-long table running along its center, draperies of the royal symbol hung from the ceiling and artworks of various past rulers of Caelin hung up on the walls. The room is illuminated by skylights on the ceiling and some windows to one side. We are all crowded at one end of the table, and by "we" I mean Grandfather, Marquess Eliwood, Ninian, General Murdock and Prince Zephiel. I'd wager that if this were any other time, I'd enjoy a feast amongst the rulers of three different lands. But sadly, it was terrorism that brought us together... the after-effects of the carnage of that despicable man. I was very curious to know how their discussions on how to address this problem went...

"Unfortunately, we couldn't come to any specific agreement..." Eliwood informs me with disdain when I ask. Truthfully, I'm not the least bit surprised. "Alas, how can we defeat an enemy that's incapable of death?"

"I wish we knew more about our mutual foe..." Murdock says with a sigh. "We don't know the limits of his power. We don't know the size of his forces, if any. We don't even know _where he is_." Indeed, the highest-ranking General of Bern made three good points. Even with all of the military power our three nations have combined, we have none of the important information needed to plan any kind of assault.

"What about this 'Giygas' person that Shadow is aligned with?" Ninian interjects. "I recall Paula mentioning that may have an entire army under his command..." As Eliwood's wife mentions Paula, I realize that she isn't in the dining hall with us. She must not be awake yet... is she a heavy sleeper, I wonder? No, she doesn't seem like the type... I hardly know anything about her, now that I think about it.

"'_May_' have." Murdock counters. "I for one never saw any such thing while Prince Zephiel and I were in captivity. I suspect the creature is acting on his own."

Eliwood groans with discontent. "Just like yesterday, we're arguing in circles..." He sighs, one hand pressed to his forehead. "Lyn, is there anything _you_ know about them? Something that we haven't already thought about?"

My sudden involvement in the conversation caught me off guard, and it takes me a moment to get thinking. What might I know that they don't already? Shadow has access to technology beyond our comprehension, part of his plans involved Lucas in some way, Giygas was involved somehow... "...Truth be told, I don't know much either..." I reply, disappointed in myself. "Shadow only gave us his motives for what he does, but he's been quite good about hiding the means. None of the pawns he's brought into this knew any in-depth details either..."

"Pawns?" Eliwood quotes with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes... Lucas and I had seen cases of Shadow using villains from other worlds to further his plans for him." I inform him. I haven't yet forgotten our encounter with that "Eggman Nega" person and that Sorcerer, and then there's that "resurrected demon" that he apparently made to possess his Mother... and reportedly Lucas had to deal with two other such people before we touched base. "I wonder... maybe Giygas himself is just another pawn in all of this?"

That had given everyone pause for thought, including myself. What _if_ Giygas was only being used by Shadow in some way? Just another liability like the rest? "Hmm... whether or not that's true, it doesn't change our current situation." Grandfather says. "Do you know how many of these 'otherworldly villains' Shadow has at his command? Who they are?"

I shake my head in reply and say, "None other than who we've already brought in... I'm sorry I can't be of more help..."

The dining hall becomes quiet. There's really nothing more that needs to be said. The simple fact of the matter was that we know virtually nothing about Shadow other than that he's a despicable, vile man that can't die, and we haven't the faintest idea what to do about it. "You all know what the real problem is by now, surely." Prince Zephiel breaks the silence, speaking for the first time since I can remember today since everyone arrived. All eyes were on him now, wondering what he might have to say. "We simply have no experience dealing with an enemy from another world."

Laboured sighs were grunted out by everyone. "Prince Zephiel is correct." Murdock states, unsurprisingly the first to take his side, but sounding discouraged all the same. "Wherever this 'Shadow' comes from, he possesses power and technology far beyond anything we could ever dream of. We simply aren't prepared to deal with such a threat."

No one wants to admit that there is some sense in their words, but I'm sure they all agree. Our power and technology is archaic and crude in comparison to his, and even if it weren't, we can't counter what we neither know nor understand. "Which is why I suggest we hire people who _do_ have experience with this." Prince Zephiel continues. "We must find the Super Smash Brothers Organization."

If he hadn't suggested it, I probably would have very shortly. Who do we know that has readily-available access to other worlds and an obligation to fight against Shadow? Other than the Smashers, only the Gods themselves, who Shadow himself said were afraid of him. A being that not even the Gods can smite... the only people bold enough – or if you prefer, _crazy_ enough – to take on the potentially impossible task that actually have the means to try would be the Smashers. "But do we even know where they are...?" I ask more to myself than the rest, but loud enough for them to hear, looking away from them in shame and down to my barely-eaten breakfast of eggs and bacon. It seems I've been so subconsciously depressed that I haven't been able to eat... "Paula said that they never returned from that place where we last encountered Shadow..."

Indeed... where _could_ they be now, if they hadn't returned to San Miguel? Did they stay there in that other world to try and fight against Shadow? Or have the Gods _already_ hunted them down...? I can't think of any remotely good reasons for their not returning. All I can do is hope is that what really happened is better than what I'm hypothesizing... they could be our only hope now...

"Marquess Caelin!" shouts a new voice from across the room. I look to see a Caelin soldier rushing into the dining hall, panting heavily.

"Hm? What is it?" Grandfather addresses the soldier. "Did you find the boy?" At his question I grow expectant, not sure whether to feel excitement or rage. Lucas specifically said he didn't want to be found...

"What? N-no, I bring news of something else!" the soldier replies, leaving me in even more indecision... "Just now... someone came through the machine!"

"Pardon?" Grandfather's voice is one of surprise, and everyone else in the room looks just as shocked. The "machine" was the term the common soldiers used for the transportation system. So someone came through it? Why? "Who is it?"

"A little girl, Milord!" A... girl? What? "She claimed to be an acquaintance of Lady Lyndis! She's been gravely injured!"

An acquaintance of... _mine_! Grandfather takes one quick look at me before ordering, "Bring her to the medical wing immediately!"

0000000000

Leaving my barely-touched meal behind, Grandfather and I are already on our way to the medical wing, leaving the emissaries from the other two kingdoms behind. Normally I would be running, but Grandfather is... well, not as young as he used to be, shall we say. He tries to ask me who this injured girl could possibly be, but I can't give him a definitive answer. I've been to so many worlds and met so many people; "little girl" is much too broad of a term. And what could someone from another world even want from _me_ to begin with?

Well, I guess I'm going to find out whether I want to or not...

"Try not to move. It's hard for me to heal something that's moving too much." I hear as I enter the room. So this is where Paula is... I was starting to wonder. The reply comes in the form of a groan... I have to admit that the voice _is_ vaguely familiar.

As I look around I see a woman dressed in a white lab coat standing over a bed, obviously the nurse, and Paula on the other side of it tending to someone laying down on the bed. The moment we walk in, the nurse spins around. "Marquess Caelin, Lady Lyndis." she greets us with a quick bow, which we both return. "My apologies Marquess, but the patient isn't decent right now. Could you please excuse us?"

My eyes widen; the extent of the girl's injuries were so bad that she had to have her clothes taken off? That's... unfortunate, and awkward. There was no more convincing needed on Grandfather's part. "Ah... say no more." he says simply, turning around and heading right back out the exit.

I move around the bed and see the person who had requested my presence, and I recognize her face. It's Lita... Django's friend from San Miguel. The nurse said that she wasn't decent because she wasn't wearing anything, but the same could be said for how the little girl looks like she's been through hell and back. Her stomach looks like it's been burned in three separate places, her right arm that Paula is currently tending too with her healing powers is bent in a terrible angle – most likely broken – and she looks like she was bleeding out from the forehead and the left side of her waist. Her right eye is swollen and starting to blacken, and both eyes have tears profusely flowing out of them. "By Father Sky..." I say, putting a hand to my mouth in horror at the sight. Such damage to someone so young...!

"She was worse off before we found her if you can believe it." Paula tells me, before whispering to Lita, "I have to warn you, this is going to hurt."

"O-okay..." Lita stutters, before Paula has to forcibly pop her arm back into the position nature intended. The pain is evident as her face scrunches up and she seethes and gasps... but much to my amazement, she doesn't scream. She must be stronger than she looks.

"Good girl..." Paula tells her, continuing her psychokinetic healing methods.

"Is... Lyn here...?" Lita asks.

I move to Paula's side, beside Lita's head so she can see me. "I'm right here, Lita..." I tell her as soothingly as I can. "What on Earth happened to you?"

"Unh... Lucas'... twin..." she murmurs.

Oh Gods no.

Paula's healing abruptly stops. "Claus... Claus woke up!" she shrieks.

"Y-yes..." Lita replies, trying her best to nod. "He went... completely berserk... destroyed... half of San Miguel... I... tried to stop him..."

It takes a while for my mind to fully realize the implications of what she's telling us. Claus woke up... but Claus isn't the one in control. The Dragon of Darkness, Lucas and Claus' own God bent on the destruction of the Super Smash Brothers Organization, is in control. And the Dragon seeks the destruction of anyone who knows of the God's existence... and it went so far as to brutalize this little girl! Do the Gods have any mercy whatsoever!

"Doesn't look like it ended well..." Paula says sadly as she resumes her work.

If what she said about Lita being worse off before was true, then that was a definite understatement. Now the Dragon's unwilling vessel was awake again... I fear what this might lead to. "Lita..." I address her, hesitant to ask, but I must know. "What happened to him...?"

"Unh... he... asked where Lucas was... I told him... I didn't know, and... then he just vanished... that's why I came here..."

If I had no reason to be afraid, I definitely do now, and I know I'm afraid because I can feel the cold sweat staring to run down my cheek as I stare at my boots, and I think my body is quaking. Her answer was exactly what I hadn't wanted to hear. This can't be happening... "Lyn... you're worried about him, aren't you?" I can't bring my head up to look at her, I can only nod in reply. Of course I'm worried... I was already worried sick before. I'd have to be a fool _not_ to be worried about Lucas. But now, _all_ of his worst enemies were awake and out for his blood... and now I can't do anything to protect him.

"I... I need to be alone for a while..." I say to both of the girls, barely loud enough for them to hear. "Please take care of her, Paula..."

"Of course." she replies as I leisurely leave the medical wing... I don't think my spirits could possibly be lower than they are now...

Grandfather waits for me outside, looking down at me with sorrowful eyes, probably having heard the entire conversation. But he says nothing. What _can_ he say? If I were in such danger, he would try to be the first to rush to my aid, to comfort me. But I'm _not the one in danger_. My friend is the one in danger. What do you say to that?

"Grandfather... may I borrow a horse?" I ask him tentatively.

"For what purpose?"

I look at him, trying not to let the tears fall. At least not yet. My answer is simple. "I need to pray."

He regains his solemn, stoic expression and nods to me, understanding. "Very well... just be back before sunset."

0000000000

A year and a half... so long ago. Has it really been a year and a half since I last stepped on these hallowed grounds, where my adventures began? It was at this old, moss and vine-laden church that everything started. It is where my old tribespeople, the Sacaens, would come to pray when they felt that they had lost their way and needed guidance from our Gods. It was here that my sacred sword, the Mani Katti, used to rest. To this day, it still baffles me why the sacred Katana of the Moon would choose _me_ as its rightful owner, the only one able to draw it from its scabbard. Especially after the moment of weakness that caused my death also caused me to lose the sword...

It makes me so disgusted with myself, to come back to this place after that. But I don't know what else to do, or where else to go now... I tie my horse's reigns to a nearby rock in the ground and enter the sacred place. The church is vacant today... I don't see anyone here. Perhaps it's for the better. I'd rather not be seen like this by the tenants of this church, much less the elder that had enough faith in me to take the Mani Katti. The steps of my boots echo through the empty sermon hall as I walk up to the main altar, where an elongated stone stand with two prongs on either side of it sits. The former resting place of my sword. I am unable to keep going when I reach it, and fall to my knees, bowing my head in shame. Just seeing it empty... everything I has been through with that sword, all my attempts to protect Lucas with it... and I had nothing to show for it.

I can no longer stop the tears I'd held back for the entire horseback ride here, quietly sobbing as I clap my hands together and start to pray...

"I don't know exactly who these prayers will reach... but if anyone is listening... please..." I begin. I truthfully don't know who I'm supposed to be praying to... aren't all of the Gods our enemies now? Or perhaps I'm praying to the sword that no longer sits on this altar... I don't know, but I don't know what else to do, either... "I don't know why I was chosen as the Mani Katti's owner... I'm weak... so, so weak... I couldn't even use the sacred sword to protect anyone... not even the one I care for most..."

I can feel my body shaking from the crying. I must look so pathetic right now...

"I don't know what to do anymore..." I continue. "I want to save him. I want to save him from this nightmare, from all of these demons that are hunting him... but he wants to find his own strength..." My forehead touches the dirty ground. I can feel my head starting to ache from the crying. "And now, I can't find my own strength... I'm not strong enough to help him anymore...!" I can hear my strained voice echoing off of the walls of the empty hall. "Please... I need guidance... if anyone can hear my prayers... please... tell me what I have do... _please_...!"

To think that I'm begging for help from those who could potentially be my enemy... a show of such weakness would be so deeply frowned upon by the tribes of Sacae. And what if the wrong beings hear my prayers? What will become of me then...? I don't know... I don't know what to do anymore... It doesn't surprise me that all I get in return for my plight is silence for a good few moments...

"That is not true."

My eyes snap open as I hear a clatter up above me on the altar. I look upwards tentatively, to see that a sword now rests on the stand... _my sword_! As if to spite time, space and fate, the Mani Katti has suddenly... _appeared_ on the altar, pristine as it always was! My sacred sword returned to me... but... _how_! I stand up, having to feel the hilt of the katana and run a careful hand along its blade to make sure I'm not hallucinating, and sure enough, it is real... still glowing an ethereal blue... I lift it out of the stand and into my hands, feeling like I've just found a long lost friend...

"This sword would choose you as its wielder, and only you. Not even a God may touch it without consequence. To choose mortality over divinity, the Mani Katti believes you are strong. As do I, regardless of what you may think of yourself."

I'm not entirely over my shock as I search for the source of that voice... female, and so resonating of power that it echoes throughout the entire hall without effort. Only now do I become aware of a bright, yellow light shining above the altar. A light with no source, just... shining out of thin air like a large star in the night sky. Amazingly, it doesn't hurt my eyes at all. In fact, it feels kind of... pleasant. Warm. Like all of my loneliness, all of my despair just... vanished...

"Tell me, young one. The journey you wish to undertake will contain obstacles that would normally be insurmountable, a journey that would push one's body, mind and soul to their absolute limits and beyond. An ordinary being would perish long before the end was even in sight. Knowing this, are you still willing to venture forth? Think carefully before you answer."

Was I willing to venture forth...? Who was this being? Was it... a God? Someone seeking to answer my prayers after all? Wanting to know if I wanted to keep going after everything that had happened, warning me that it would only get worse from here... I didn't even need to think about my answer. "I am." I reply, thinking of Lucas for a moment. "I have too much to lose... too many things to fight for. No matter how difficult the path ahead of me is, I never back away from it. I always finish what I start."

"I see."

There is a long silence afterwards. What is this being of light contemplating, I wonder...?

"My name is Palutena, the Goddess of Light."

Palutena...!

"If you are willing, then I ask that you gather whatever forces that are willing to join you, and only those whom you yourself believe are strong enough. Surely you understand why. Bring whatever weapons and belongings you deem necessary as well, for the journey will be long. Take as much time as you need, but try not to be long. I shall await you in my world."

"What? Wait!" I call out to the light, reaching out to it... only vaguely aware that I don't know why. But as I try, the light fades in but a second, and the warmth I felt was gone... leaving me feeling lonely again.

What had just happened... it could only be classed as surreal. Had I really just been... contacted by a God? I look down at the Mani Katti, the physical proof that this really _did_ just happen gripped firmly in my right hand. And it wasn't just any God, but Palutena, the Goddess of Light who had saved me from death back in that wretched cave... she was requesting my presence, and the presence of any who wished to help me on this quest...

I have to find out what this all means. I waste no time running out of the altar and getting back to my horse.

0000000000

"The Goddess contacted you herself? In person!"

I showed them all the proof that was the Mani Katti. "Well, not _really_ in person, but... it couldn't have been anyone else. She was the only conscious person at the cave, so she was the only one who could have _this_." It was no surprise that everyone in the room was flabbergasted, namely Grandfather. The moment I returned, I called a meeting with all of those who were involved. The extras in this case were Paula and Grandfather, both stubbornly refusing to be left out of important conversation. I hadn't yet informed them of anything that would endanger their lives; Palutena was known to the Smashers, so I don't think there was any problem in discussing her. I just hoped they wouldn't ask any questions that I won't be able to answer...

"Incredible..." Eliwood commented. "But... why?"

"She wants to meet with me, personally." I reply, and the room erupts in another chorus of shocked gasps and "what's." "And... anyone who is willing to come with me." I add. "But I have to warn you all: she made it very clear that once we leave, not only will we not be returning for a long time, but whatever quest she has for us will be much, _much_ harder than anything we've ever faced before." The room was silent. "I can't guarantee anyone's safety if they want to join me, so... I'm going to leave the choice up to you. Think about it, carefully. She said to take as much time as we need to prepare, but to try not to be long."

Everyone in the room has wandering eyes, muttering words under their breath... very carefully contemplating what the best course of action was, I hope. "This wasn't what I had expected at all..." Grandfather spoke openly. "I thought we were going to be taking measures to combat Shadow using the armies of our three lands... now you're telling us that this... 'Goddess,' this Lady Palutena has formally requested a select few of us?"

I nod and reply, "That's my understanding."

His hand rose to his chin in thought, as he turned to the window. "Am I right in assuming that no matter what we decide, you will go?"

I knew Grandfather would ask that. "...Yes."

"...I see." This was one of those times I wished Lucas were at my side... I don't have his ability to see what other people are feeling. I can't even guess what is going through Grandfather's mind right now.

"Well, I'm not sure about the rest of you..." Eliwood finally said, "But I refuse to sit idly by while my closest friend fights the hardest battle of her life. I'm going with Lyn."

"Lord Eliwood...!" I gasp, so deeply touched. It was no surprise that he was the first to agree to join me, but nonetheless I am so glad. I only hope he understands just how dangerous this journey will be...

"If what was said about these beings we face are true, then... I don't want to leave Lord Eliwood's side." Ninian followed up. "I will accompany you too."

"I will also accept the Goddess' call. There is much for me to atone for." Murdock said, before looking down at his Prince. "And I doubt you want to return home without me, do you?" Zephiel curtly shook his head, smiling. So all of those who knew of the Gods were coming with me... this saved me a lot of worry. If they were left behind here, I don't know what would happen to them. At least this way, we're able to look after each other.

"Count me in too." Paula said, stepping forward. "The Smashers are some of my closest friends... if there was something I could do to help them, I'd never forgive myself if I didn't do it." At first I'm ecstatic about the psychic agreeing to join us, but then I remember just why I didn't want either her or my Grandfather in on this conversation in the first place, and I become filled with worry. I can see that same worry etched in the faces of everyone else as well. And so can she. "..._Don't_ you _dare_ say I'm too young."

"No, it's not that!" I quickly tell her. "It's just..." I curse inwardly. This completely caught me off-guard... I don't know how to explain it to her.

"...Paula, I'm going to be honest with you." Eliwood said before I could say anything else. Thank goodness he took the responsibility to explain this whole mess off of my shoulders. I just hope he does it without offending her... "We're not in doubt of your strength, far from it in fact. It's the implications of this journey that concern us..." I look quickly to Grandfather, who seems quite perplexed by the sudden tension in the room. "There was a reason why Lyn didn't want to bring neither you nor Grandfather into this meeting, and that's because us five have been directly affected by all of this. We _know things_... things that no normal person is supposed to know. Things that would put you in mortal peril but just _knowing_ them. That's the kind of enemies we could be facing. You're not doomed to this like we are, so please think carefully about this."

"Lord Eliwood, I already have!" Paula immediately retorts, outraged. "So what if it's dangerous! I have friends in need of help! And besides, what good is _my_ safety if everything gets wiped out anyway!"

That last part of her miniature rant gave me pause for thought. It was a very valid point... would I want to sit idly by when everything I held dear was going to be destroyed, when I knew there was something I could do to prevent it? No, of course not. It was no different than with her. "As long as you understand what you're getting into." Eliwood told her curtly, not letting Paula's outburst faze him.

Paula seemed to calm down a bit. "Don't worry... I won't be a burden. I can take care of myself."

The tension in the air disappeared, and I was very relieved. Paula had powers similar to Lucas, I know she'll be a great help. "Thank you, Paula..." I say to her, before turning to the rest. "Thank you all."

"...Well, since it's a unanimous agreement that you will all be going..." Grandfather interjected, "You may want to make arrangements with your own kingdoms, Lord Eliwood and Prince Zephiel, for what will be done in your absence."

That was something that had completely slipped my mind; who would rule while they were away? "Yes, you're right. Thanks for the reminder, Lord Hausen." Eliwood thanked him.

"How soon can it be done?" I ask.

"Neither of our kingdoms are far from here." Murdock replied. "It don't believe it will take more than a day for us to return."

"Then... we'll be leaving tomorrow morning then. That sounds fair." I said.

"Then we should use this time to prepare whatever necessities and weapons you will need." Grandfather said. "As Lyndis said, it will likely be a long journey."

A long journey indeed... but for the sake of all, I am more than willing to undertake it. And I'm happy that I won't be alone.

* * *

**A/N:** I'm sorry this chapter took so long to get out. I was stuck on it for a while and had no time to write due to a haphazard move and my college semester starting, but hopefully that will change in the future.

The next chapter will be from Lucas' POV. The journey has finally begun...


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